The Relative
by Pepstepper16
Summary: Ron and Harry receive a strange letter from Hermione. A new, mysterious sixth year appears at Hogwarts...could he be related to the deaths of 2 Muggles? RH and HG-my first fanfic, so all reviews are very appreciated!
1. Meet 'n Greet

A/N: I own none of these characters! I'm gonna try to update this at least once a week, but please don't hold me to that right this minute, since I've got finals coming up!!Thanks…

_Chapter One: Meet 'n Greet_

The summer sun scorched the once-green grass that covered the hillsides of England. The cities bustled with the activity of Muggles and wizards alike. It was the summer of sixth year for Harry Potter. So much had taken place in his past, and his one goal for this year, and hopefully the remainder of his life, was to relax for a change. Of course, with Voldemort still lurking in the shadows of the world (and Harry's dreams), this would be a tricky task. Harry's one wish was to take an uneventful break from it all. This brought him to the Burrow.

"Here we are, Harry dear," Molly Weasley sighed wearily, opening the front door. "I'm sure everyone will be glad to see you alive and well." She laughed, but realizing her joke hit a bit too close to home, stopped.

"It's all right, Mrs. Weasley, I understand what you meant." Harry grinned, in spite of his slight bewilderment, and gazed at his surroundings. Same old clock with the magical hands. Same old cluttered kitchen. Same old…well, everything. Harry smiled even more widely. He had missed the disorganization while at the Dursleys'.

"Ron! Ginny! Arthur! We have a visitor!" Her sudden yell, followed by thundering footsteps, jarred Harry out of his dream world.

"Harry!" Ron bounded off of the stair landing. "How are you, mate?" He hadn't changed a bit, with the exception of gaining yet another three inches in height. "Had fun at the Dursleys'?"

Harry's eyebrows shot up past his unruly bangs.

With a good-natured laugh, Ron quickly added, "I'm just joking, Harry. It's good to see you again. And hopefully Hermio-"

Just then, Ginny appeared from the stairs, looking quite stunning in a form-fitting green tank top and blue jeans.

"Hey Ron," she said, "Dad's got Pig upstairs. He's just back from Hermione's, and I-hi, Harry!"

She strode meaningfully over toward him, brushing past Ron, who looked slightly appalled. She stopped right in front of Harry, and, not knowing quite what to do, gave him an awkward hug.

As they stepped back from each other, Harry couldn't help noticing that Ginny's fiery hair was now halfway down her back. He had known her since she was just ten years old, and she was definitely no longer a child. Her once gawky freckles now gave her beautiful face a uniqueness that Harry had never noticed before. She looked so adult, although she was a year younger than him.

"You've really grown up, Ginny," Harry said, not quite believing the words that had left his mouth.

Ginny blushed, in the same manner that all the Weasleys did, and opted for a soft, "Ummm…thanks, Harry."

Now Ron just looked confused.

Harry continued, "Had a good summer?" while still trying to observe Ginny. "No boyfriends yet?"

Ginny laughed. "Oh, you know, those boys are always chasing me." She rolled her eyes and glanced back at Harry, smiling.

Harry laughed nervously as he noticed he was still holding Ginny's right hand.

Ron, not missing this detail, said tentatively, "Ah…well, Ginny, you said Pig was back?"

Breaking her gaze into Harry's green eyes, Ginny abruptly answered, "Upstairs with Dad."

Ron's face broke out of its scowl and glowed with excitement. "Great! Hermione's finally answered! I've been waiting for ages; I asked her to come at the beginning of July."

Harry's face showed confusion; he hadn't been asked until the end of July, and jumped at the chance to get away from the Dursleys'. Hermione hadn't forgotten, had she? Could she possibly be in Bulgaria with Viktor? Not wanting to voice these thoughts, Harry said, "Well, she's probably on her way now and wanted to send a letter right before she arrived." The second this remark left his mouth Harry felt stupid; it made no sense. But what else could he do?

The three of them bounded up the stairs together, prepared to enjoy the rest of the summer holidays.

A/N: Sorry it's so short-I'm really new at this, so please don't tell me I suck, etc. It's a slow start, but it'll get better, I promise!!!


	2. The Cryptic Letter

_A/N: I own no one and nothing...except for this storyline..._

_Chapter 2: The Cryptic Letter_

Harry, Ron, and Ginny bounded up the winding staircase. Upon reaching the top, they ran into Mr. Weasley.

"Hey, kids, watch where you're running. We haven't had that much noise since the twins moved out, and I'd like to enjoy the quiet-oh, hello, Harry!"

Mr. Weasley's face brightened. Harry assumed that a questioning of "Muggle fellytones" was coming. He glanced at Ron pleadingly.

Ron, catching on, cut to the chase and said, "Dad, we want Hermione's letter."

Mr. Weasley replied, "Oh, yes, I just sent Pig up to your room, Ron. Now, Harry, about those felly-"

His question was cut off by the thundering of more footsteps up the staircase. Ron was off like a rocket, with Harry and Ginny trailing behind.

"Oh, well, then, maybe later…"Mr. Weasley sighed.

In Ron's room, Pig sat on the bed, twittering away. Next to him lay an envelope, addressed with Hermione's perfect handwriting. Ron dove for the bed and ripped the envelope open. His smile glowed more brightly than a brand new Galleon, but as he read through the letter, his face fell.

"What's wrong, Ron?" panted Harry. He and Ginny had sprinted up the stairs, trying to catch up with Ron.

"Yeah, you…look like…someone swiped…your Cleansweep," gasped Ginny.

"What?" grunted Ron, still contemplating the letter. "No, Hermione's not coming!"

"What?" cried Ginny. "She promised in her last letter to me…"

"Why not?" questioned Harry. "Here, let me read that."

Ron, pale-faced and speechless, handed over the short letter. Harry read:

_Dear Ron,_

_ I'm really, really sorry, but I won't be able to make it to the Burrow this summer. I really wish I could, but my dad and I must attend the funeral of a relative and will be busy for the remainder of July and August. I'll see you, Harry, and Ginny on Platform 9 and ¾. _

_ Much love, _

_ Hermione_

"Wow," murmured Ginny, who was reading over Harry's shoulder, a bit closer than she needed to be to see. "I can't imagine a summer without Hermione. She's practically family."

"Yeah," agreed Harry as he handed the letter back to Ron. "She didn't even ask how you were doing, Ron. That's not like Hermione not to be concerned about our lives. You know how she is…"

"Yeah…"moaned Ron, crumpling the letter in his fist. " She's not coming! I can't believe it!"

"But we'll see her in a week," Harry pointed out.

"Still," whined Ron sadly. He looked thoroughly depressed.

Ron continued to sulk throughout dinner. Over roast beef and mashed potatoes, Mr. Weasley questioned Harry about various Muggle appliances, until Harry thought he would scream. Ginny and Mrs. Weasley, seeing Harry's facial expressions, tried frantically to steer the conversation back to common territory, but it was no use.

Finally, Ron couldn't help himself. "Dad, Harry really doesn't care to discuss every little Muggle thing, whether or not it is a felly-tone, so why don't you just give him a break?" he spat.

Mrs. Weasley looked horrified at this little outburst. "Ronald! Talking like that to your father, and in front of a guest! That is unacceptable! Go up to your room and stay there for a while!"

Ginny held her breath, but at the same time looked as if she was about burst into giggles. Harry, knowing that laughter would only make Mrs. Weasley angrier, bit back a smile.

Ron stood up abruptly. "Fine!" he yelled defiantly. "Fine!" and with that, he headed to the staircase. "It's where I wanted to be anyway," he muttered under his breath.

Harry and Ginny exchanged looks and filled their mouths with food.

"Goodness," Mrs. Weasley huffed, "what's gotten into him?"

Harry hesitated to speak, but Ginny blurted tauntingly, "He's mad because his loooooooove isn't coming."

Harry shot Ginny a dirty look. Ginny smiled innocently. Harry sighed, helpless. Let Ron's "secret attraction" be known to all the world. There was not a thing Harry could do at this point.

"Oh, so Hermione's not coming?" Mr. Weasley asked casually, as if this was old news. "That's too bad. I wanted to ask her about those new Stay-Playtons-"

"Play-Stations," Harry corrected. "Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley; I think I'm going to go check on Ron. Er, see how he's coping, you know?" He knew it was a lame excuse, but he was feeling a bit uncomfortable. It was strange to hear Ron's family discuss his obvious fondness for Hermione, while at the same time, he tried so hard to hide it.

Ginny suppressed another giggle, but Mrs. Weasley said, "Go ahead, dear. We understand. Poor Ron's practically been counting down the days till Hermione arrived. Now that she's not coming, he's got to be extremely disappointed."

Harry, feeling Mrs. Weasley had just stated the obvious, muttered, "Ah…yes, well, I'll go see how he is," and made a mad dash for the staircase.

A/N: Please read/review! Thanx!


	3. Flashback to Embarrassment

_A/N-Hey there all, just lettin' ya know, as usual, that I own none of these characters, etc. But you all knew that already-winkwink-_

_Chapter 3: Flashback to Embarrassment_

Ron sat on his bed, fuming as he stared at his Chudley Cannons poster. He couldn't understand all of the emotions mixing inside of him at the same time: anger, sadness, desperation, want, bitterness, confusion, lust. It made his stomach churn and his blood boil.

Unable to sit still any longer, he stood up and paced the short length of his room, pondering the letter for what seemed like the millionth time. No reply for so long…and then, all of a sudden, a death in the family? It just didn't seem to add up to Ron. Why hadn't she been more specific? Why? There were never enough answers for his many questions.

What Ron was sure of, however, was the growing emptiness that took over his soul every day since leaving Hogwarts. Sure, he missed his best friend, Harry. But Hermione…

Just thinking of her spiked Ron's pulse.

Not that he wasn't thinking of her often. He mentally replayed their goodbyes on Platform 9 and ¾ after watching Harry depart with the dreadful Dursleys.

-flashback-

"I do hope Harry will be alright," sighed Hermione, watching Harry's walking figure fade away in the distance.

"Ah, well," Ron said, "he'll be safe for a time." An awkward silence. "I hope."

Tears began filling Hermione's eyes. "Ron, I'm scared for Harry. I can't imagine what life would be like without him."

-back to present-

Ron winced. That remark had hurt. He tried not to think of it when he was reminiscing.

-flashback-

Continuing the conversation and attempting to comfort Hermione, Ron said, "Hermione, before you know it, we'll all be together at my house, eating my mum's great cooking and telling stories." He forced a smile. "No worries, right?" He prayed that these words would comfort her.

Hermione, in spite of Ron's attempt to make her happy, burst into tears. Ron grimaced. He had obviously said something wrong.

"Oh, Ron," she wailed, "you're right. Worrying won't solve anything. I'm just being overdramatic. Thanks for bringing me back to earth." She embraced him tightly. "I'm going to miss you so much," she sobbed.

Ron was quite taken aback by this sudden flow of emotions. Must be that time of the month, he thought to himself, recalling similar situations with his mother and sister. At the same time, he couldn't help noticing how her hair smelled of lilacs, how she was so warm, how her body fit next to his so perfectly. He closed his eyes, attempting to savor the moment, and prepared to confess, when-

BANG! The twins Apparated next to the two of them. Ron and Hermione jumped about a foot in the air (not to mention apart from each other).

"Sorry!" shouted Fred, as loudly as possible.

"Didn't mean to interrupt any 'inappropriate shows of affection', as dear Mum would say!" George screamed at the top of his lungs, with a cheeky grin on his face.

Ron wished he could sink into the floor. He would never live this one down.

"Ron!" scolded Mrs. Weasley, puffing up like an angry cat as she strode over to the four of them. "What exactly is going on here? Choose your words carefully!"

"Little Ronnie here's in love, and there was a little bit of "P-D of A", if you catch my meaning, Mum," Fred said suggestively.

Ron yelped, "No, Mum! Hermione—Hermione and I were just saying goodbye, and we were hugging, and-"

"Ron!" gasped Mrs. Weasley. "Were you trying to-" She couldn't make herself say the word. Trying again, she sputtered, "Trying to-" Failing yet again, she got red in the face. For the third time, she said, with much scandal in her voice, "Trying to-fondle-"-cough, cough- "her?"

Ron was beet-red with embarrassment. Mrs. Weasley's expression was of pure fury. Behind the two "sinners", Fred and George were trying not to explode with laughter. Fred had one hand on his stomach and the other covering his mouth. George clasped both hands over his mouth. Tears of suppressed laughter ran down his cheeks.

"No, Mrs. Weasley, Ron is right," said Hermione, exasperated. "We were just saying our goodbyes and the twins got the wrong idea. Honest. I," she added importantly, "would never do such a thing."

Mrs. Weasley's face relaxed a bit. "All right, dear, I believe you. But I'll be keeping a close eye on you all," looking pointedly at Ron, "just the same."

-end flashback-

Ron opened his eyes. He was lying on his bed again, though he wasn't quite sure how he had gotten there. A strange, tingling flooded his veins.

It was such a bittersweet moment. After all the drama, Ron and Hermione had said their goodbyes as normally-and as platonically- as their circumstances would allow. Still, Ron couldn't help wondering what had been running through Hermione's head. Was she embarrassed by the idea of being Ron's girlfriend? Or was it just embarrassment over being accused of wrongdoing? Ron wasn't quite sure.

As he moodily considered it all, a knock sounded at his bedroom door.

A/N-Okay please read/review!!!! I probably won't be updating for a week- week and 1/2(ahhhh I HATE FINALS!!!!), so hang tight-I'll be back and better than ever soon...: )


	4. I'm Not at All in Love

_A/N: Own these characters? I wish!!! If only…_

_Oh, and I would just like to mention that I also do not own the Broadway play The Pajama Game. A part of Harry and Ron's conversation is taken from the lyrics of "I'm Not at All in Love", as well as the title of this chapter. Great musical, though, I recommend it to all you Broadway junkies like myself…_

_Chapter 4- "I'm Not at All in Love"_

Ron debated whether to respond. His instinct was to sit by himself until the end of time. Or until Hermione showed up. Whichever came first. But then one of his mum's old sayings popped into his head unexpectedly: "Misery loves company". Grudgingly, he called, "It's open. Come on in."

Harry opened the door cautiously. "Are you alright?" he questioned with concerned green eyes. "You seem a little upset."

"A little?" Ron snickered, one eyebrow raised.

At this remark, Harry lost his temper.

"Ron, it's not the end of the world that Hermione's not coming, okay? You're going to see her in a week, and then almost every day, for the following nine months. It's not like she's being sent to China for ten years or something. Plus, what do you think is more important to her right now, a week's vacation with friends, or paying respects to her dead relative?"

Taken aback by this response, Ron began, "But-"

"Put yourself in her shoes. What would you be more concerned about if, say, your mum were to die today"-

"Leave my family out of this!"

"-if she died, would you be thinking more about her, or the fact that you would have one less week with your friends, who, in fact, are still living?"

Ron stared at the floor, speechless. He hated to admit it, but Harry was right.

"Ron, I wouldn't say this if I wasn't your friend," Harry continued, "but there are worse things than seeing Hermione a week later than planned. You're-well, you're being completely stupid about it."

Ron blinked and looked up at Harry. Once again, he was right. Furthermore, he knew from experience. Watching his parents die, then Sirius, right before his eyes. If there was anyone Ron knew who could correctly compare their priorities with life and death, it was Harry. He knew.

"All right," Ron said hoarsely, rubbing his eyes. "All right."

* * *

After their little discussion, Ron and Harry headed downstairs for a couple rounds of Gobstones with Ginny. Then they had some of Mrs. Weasley's fabulous chocolate chip cookies, and Mr. Weasley finally had his discussion regarding telephones with Harry. It was about that time when Ron decided to call it a night.

"Well, I'm headed off to bed," he declared. "Harry, you can stay if you want; you know where you're sleeping."

"No, that's okay, I'll come with you, I'm feeling a bit tired myself," Harry yawned. It was a bit bigger yawn than normal, and quite exaggerated.

Mr. Weasley's face fell. "Oh, but we were just getting to the sill phones-"

"Cell phones," corrected Harry.

"Right, dear," said Mrs. Weasley. "Arthur, let the kids go to bed. It's been a long day for Harry, and he needs his rest."

"Yes, of course, but we'll have to talk more about the sill phones, Harry…"

"We'll see about that." Mrs. Weasley's smile never left her face, but her eyes flashed warningly at Arthur.

"Good night, Harry," Ginny said, not ever bothering to mask her disappointment. "See you in the morning."

Harry blushed (for once, it was he, not Ron, who was embarrassed), and responded, "Right. Night, Ginny." He locked eyes with her and smiled.

Ron and Harry plodded back up to Ron's room, got changed, and settled into their beds. Harry wore a mischievous grin on his face, and, occasionally, would let out a snicker.

"What's with you?" inquired Ron.

"Oh, you just won't admit to what's staring you straight in the face."

Ron froze. "What are you talking about?" he asked suspiciously.

"Oh, I'm sure you could guess if you tried."

Ron took a breath and blew it out, frustrated. He hated these guessing games. "What, Harry?"

"You could guess even if you didn't try."

"WHAT, HARRY?!"

"Your dog could guess even if he didn't try."

Ron tilted his head. "Harry, I don't have a dog."

"Exactly."

Ron was getting angry. "Harry, please just tell me what it is. I really don't know what you're shooting at."

Harry wiggled his eyebrows. "Well, it has to do with a certain person…"

"Yes…"

"A certain girl…"

"Yes…"

"starts with a Her…"

Ron's brow furrowed. "Starts with a her? What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?"

"-let me finish, idiot!"

"-don't call me names, you freak!"

"…and ends with a –mione…"

Silence weighted the air as the full impact of these words hit Ron. Then the puzzle pieces fell into place.

"WHAT?!?! Hermione? What does she have to do with anything?"

Harry threw up his hands. "Come off it, Ron, you love her. What else did you think I was getting at?"

Ron snorted. "Don't be stupid, Harry. I don't," continuing with a girlish voice, "looooooooooove her."

"Whatever, Ron."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Love? Are you nuts?"

"Some people can't tell when it hits them," Harry teased.

"I'm NOT in love. Not a bit."

"But-"

"Not a touch."

"No, not much," Harry quipped lightly.

Ron had been pushed to his limit. "Harry, when I finally fall in love, there'll be no doubt about it," his voice getting louder, "because you'll know by the way that I shout it-"

Ginny yelled, from the room below the two boys, "RON! QUIT SHOUTING! DO YOU WANT TO WAKE UP THE WHOLE WORLD?!?!?!"

Harry shot a look at Ron. It seemed to scream, "See, I told you so."

Ron sighed, defeated. "Okay, you win."

Harry stared at him eagerly. "What's that?"

Ron rolled his eyes again. "I love her."

"Who?" Harry felt a little guilty for torturing Ron like this, but otherwise nothing would ever become of Ron's feelings. He was too slow, and Harry knew he needed to help this "relationship" along. "Who do you love?"

"I love Hermione." Ron glowed like a nightlight after saying these three simple words.

"Good," said Harry, satisfied. "Now get some sleep, Lover Boy, and later we'll decide how to get you two together."

A/N- Okay...now read/review PLEASE!!! If I get reviews, it feels like someone's actually reading my story...not that no one cares...and it makes me sad if no one cares... so READ/REVIEW!! por favor : )


	5. Loved One Lost

_A/N: I don't own the characters and I'm not planning on stealing any stories. I must credit Melody Carlson with writing "Show Me". It appears in her book My Name is Chloe. Fabulous book, I must say…I really liked the poem and could imagine Hermione writing it in her current emotional state in the story. So…I don't own it! Read and enjoy…_

_Chapter 5: Loved One Lost_

Hermione sat on the edge of her pink bed, staring out her window into the starry night. Her mind was empty, and yet her brain pulsated with thought. Her soul felt dead inside, but at the same time, her heart was wound with powerful emotions. She wanted to cry, but also desired complete silence. Her once-bright golden-brown eyes were weary and full of grief. Her smooth, straight hair (thank you, Serena's Straightening Serum, Number 9) fell unkempt and untidy over her eyes.

In short, she was a complete wreck.

She was in the middle of packing her trunk for Hogwarts. The train was leaving from Platform 9 and ¾ the next day. For the first time in her five years of attending Hogwarts, she did not feel excitement and joy when she thought of going. She felt…well, nothing. She wasn't specifically looking forward to attending classes and doing loads of homework, like she usually did. She wasn't excited about discussing advanced methods of magic with her professors. She just did not care. It felt as if her heart had been ripped out.

Except for the part of her that yearned for normalcy. The part that wanted to rewind and change the events that had passed over her summer break.

July 3rd. Hermione knew the exact date. Her parents were both out of the house for the day. She had just made herself a late breakfast of waffles and bacon, and decided to settle into her favorite chair for reading with Hogwarts, a History. It was her summer tradition to read that book. How else would she correct Ron and Harry during the school year?

She had just gotten comfortable when the phone rang. "Augh!" she groaned. _Maybe if I don't pick up, it'll stop ringing,_ she thought to herself.

No such luck. After about twenty rings, Hermione got up and stomped into the kitchen to answer the phone.

"Grangers' residence; Hermione speaking," she stated politely, as she always had since she was five. "Who is this?

One grim voice and five sentences later, Hermione hung up, staring straight ahead.

It wasn't true. It just couldn't be.

She sank to her knees, right in the middle of the kitchen.

Things like this weren't supposed to happen to girls like her.

She laid her head on the floor.

She couldn't be dead.

Hermione blacked out.

* * *

When she awoke, her father was kneeling beside her, his eyes full of tears. She had no idea how long she had been asleep.

"No," she whispered.

Her father nodded sadly, one of his teardrops falling from his face onto Hermione's jeans.

"No, Daddy!" she shrieked, like when she was a little girl and didn't want to be left alone at preschool.

Her father held her tightly as she collapsed and sobbed uncontrollably. The two of them sat there, in the kitchen, for uncountable hours, grieving what they had lost.

The funeral was awful. The preacher was stuffy and threw around a lot of big words like "piety" and "reverent". Lots of people cried.

Hermione couldn't cry. Not until the coffin closed, however. Then, the thought of a person, especially someone she had loved so much for so long, closed up in a box, buzzed around her like a bee, and stung her. She wailed like a baby (never mind that she was almost sixteen).

Life since then had been slow and dull, but she liked it that way now. Basically, her routine was: wake up, eat breakfast, go back to bed, wake up, eat lunch, watch TV, eat dinner, go to bed, and lie awake with tears running down her face.

She also wrote poems. Poems about all sorts of things: life, death, love; filled her diary. One in particular was extremely truthful of her feelings and really (though she hated to admit it) scared her.

Show Me

all is murky, thick and dark

i cannot see of hear or feel

a wall surrounds me cold and stark

a barrier for what is real

i am blind and deaf and dumb

wrapped and trapped inside this tomb

to this death I will succumb

the air I breathe is full of doom

where is life and truth and light?

why is it so hard to see?

show me how to know what's right

show me what's inside of me

She didn't only write about death and losing her way. She tried to write about happy things to cheer herself up, but most of the time, she failed. One good poem had resulted of a daydreaming session about Ron, though. She felt quite pleased with herself after she had put the pen down.

The other part of herself that still felt emotion was dying to see Ron, Harry, Ginny, and her other friends she knew again. They always seemed to be able to snap her out of her bad moods before. But this wasn't just a passing bad mood, she reminded herself. This was a hole in her heart that would take something-or someone- amazing to fill and heal.

She stood up and threw a few more forgotten items into her trunk. As she packed Hogwarts, A History, on top of her clothing, she spotted a picture lying on her desk. She picked it up. It was Hermione, as a little girl. Fluffy brown hair, bright smile with the same old buckteeth.

As she looked closer, she realized she wasn't looking at herself. The little girl in the picture had deep blue-green eyes. Hermione's eyes were brown.

It wasn't her. It was _her_.

Hermione lay down on her bed and curled up in the fetal position, wishing she could stay like that until she died. All desire of seeing her friends had left her.

She wanted to stay where she knew she was safe.

But was she really?

A/N: Okay, please please please read/review!! I love getting feedback... Oh and I'm pretty much done with my finals, so updates should be every 1-2 days, unless I get serious writer's block. Plus, I'm working on a songfic, so watch for that! Ok, talk to you kids later, love ya...: )


	6. Catching Up on Platform 9 and 34

__

_A/N:Hey there, hope you all are totally enjoying the story! Just a quick shout-out to a few reviewers (and anyone else who's wondering):_

_BuckNC: Well, I can't really say right now who died, but I promise you will find out before the end of the story! I thought I was including a lot of clues, but maybe not..._

_fireinthenight: WOW!!! Thank you sooooo much! I'm really flattered. : )_

_Liza:Like I said before, I'm not saying who died, but you(and everyone else) can keep guessing...it lets me know if I'm getting too predictable!_

_Oh, wow, enough talk, on with the story!_

_Chapter 6: Catching Up on Platform 9 and ¾_

On the morning of the Hogwarts Express departure, emotions flew through the air, both at the Burrow and at Hermione's house. Ron's consuming emotion was nervousness. Would Hermione be embarrassed to be seen with him, after the last episode at Platform 9 and ¾? Would Fred and George return to "see them off"? Heck, yeah, he was nervous.

Harry, on the other hand, was content. He had spent the ride up to King's Cross next to Ginny. For some odd reason, Mr. Weasley couldn't enlarge the backseat, so the three kids crunched into the back seat. Harry was sandwiched rather tightly between the left-side door and Ginny.

Not that he was uncomfortable with that setup.

On the ride to King's Cross, Hermione gave herself a little pep talk. _Smile, act normal, laugh a lot,_ she told herself, watching her home disappear behind her. _Pretend everything is okay. _

_Ha! Fat chance of that ever happening_, her heart scolded.

Tears began pooling in her eyes.

DON'T CRY! she screamed in her head. That would definitely not qualify as acting as if everything was peachy keen.

She leaned her head against the window. She was going to school to learn, not to cry. She was going to write, not to mope. She was going to make something of herself.

Her dad stopped the car. "Let's go, love," he said cheerfully.

Hermione wanted to close her eyes and dream of nothing. She knew she needed to go, though, so she opened the car door and got out slowly. _Chin up_, she reminded herself. _You can do this. This is the first day of the rest of your life._

"Where is she?" grumbled Ron anxiously, glancing at his watch. "She should be here by now."

Harry didn't bother to ask who "she" was; he knew already. Ron had gone the whole summer without seeing Hermione; couldn't he wait ten or fifteen minutes more? Then again, the poor bloke was in love with her. What else could he do?

Harry didn't quite understand. He had never truly loved a girl. True, he had had that crush on Cho Chang for three years, but that didn't really count. He wasn't sure what true love, love for one special woman, the one, felt like yet.

And, truth be told, he was a bit scared to love someone again. All his life, it seemed that everyone he had been close to had been swept away: his parents, Sirius. Harry was reluctant to put his trust in anyone at the moment, except his best friends.

"Harry!" a girl's voice shouted in the distance. Harry turned, surprised. Hermione waved at him.

Wait, that couldn't really be Hermione…the Hermione he knew had fluffy, out-of-control brown hair, not sleek, straight, smooth brown hair.

She walked over to the two boys. Harry leaned over toward Ron and muttered, "Be calm, be cool, it's okay." For he had noticed Ron's face went slack at the sight of Hermione, and his jaw fell open. He, too, was shocked.

"Hello, you two," she said pleasantly, placing her trunk down next to her. "Had a good summer?"

She smiled as she spoke to them, but Harry could detect a shadow, some sort of hollowness, in Hermione's eyes, as if she hadn't slept for days.

"Harry, it's so good to see you!" she exclaimed, reaching out and hugging him warmly. "And Ron-"she reached out to him, too, but noticing Mrs. Weasley watching the three of them like a hawk, stopped abruptly. She smiled warmly at him, though. Her smile reached up to her eyes and lit them up with happiness. Harry relaxed a bit. Her eyes didn't look so dead anymore.

"Oh, Hermione, you look wonderful," sighed Mrs. Weasley, squeezing her in a tight embrace. "I'm sorry to hear about your loss. Let me know if there's anything I can do."

"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley. I appreciate it. Really."

A warning whistle sounded from the train, causing some bystanders nearby to jump.

"Oh, I had better let you all leave…Here, you two," referring to Ron and Ginny, who had just finished greeting Hermione, "take your sandwiches. I never forget-don't look so excited, Ron," she said, her voice taking on a frosty tone. "At least you have food. Ever considered that?"

"Yes, Mum…well, we'd better get going if we want to get seats together," Ron replied, disgruntled.

After exchanging the usual, "Love you"s, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all boarded the Hogwarts Express together.

A/N:Okay, I know it's short, but I have the next 2 chapters written in my notebook, so hang on to your hats! They're coming soon! Please read/review as usual...


	7. The Gift of Sight

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_A/N: I own none of these characters. This chapter's a little short, sorry!_

_Chapter 7: The Gift of Sight_

The four friends settled into their compartment together. Ginny and Ron began arguing loudly the second the door closed.

"I'm going to sit by you, Hermione," Ginny declared sweetly, dropping her bag on the seat next to Hermione.

"Hey!" yelled Ron. "I was going to sit there, Ginny!"

Ginny rolled her eyes in disgust. "Does this seat have your name on it, Ron? I don't see it anywhere. Sit by Harry. It's not a big deal."

"Well, I want to talk to her!"

"You can! It's not like you're separated by the Continental Divide or something!"

Harry intervened, "Guys, don't argue over such a stupid thing. Ron, she was there first, just let her have the seat." Then, under his breath, he mumbled, "Blimey, sometimes I don't know how their mother puts up with it."

The oddest thing of all was that Hermione hadn't responded to this little spat at all. She sat gazing out the window of the train, watching the rolling green hills go by. Normally, she would have reprimanded Ron for being such a prat, but something wasn't quite normal.

Ron sat, disgruntled, in his seat, and opened the packet of sandwiches his mother had given him on the platform. His lip curled in disgust upon further inspection of the sandwich.

"Urgh! Corned beef, like always!" he groaned, stuffing the sandwich back into its wrapping. "Why can't she just remember that I don't like corned beef? It's not that hard, is it? I mean, come on-"

"Oh, Ron, would you _please_ just stop complaining for once?" Hermione exclaimed suddenly. Ginny jumped about a foot in the air. "Practically all you've done since we got on the train is complain. Is there anything perfect enough for you? At least you have someone that cares that much about you."

With that, she stood up. "I'm going to go find Luna. I haven't talked with her in ages; I wonder how she's doing." She walked out, slamming the door loudly behind her.

Ginny glared angrily at Ron. "She's completely right, you know, so don't even start your 'Did I say something wrong?' act, Ron, because no one's going to fall for it."

She followed Hermione out the door, leaving Harry and Ron in a silence that seemed to buzz in their ears.

Ron groaned and rested his forehead on his knees. "They're right, Harry, they're all right! I am complaining way too much."

"Well, then, don't." Harry seemed to think that would solve the problem. It wasn't that complicated…was it?

"It's just so…hard, you know? This 'trying to win her over' business, it's so complicated. I never know what'll make her mad."

"I understand that. You just have to listen and take cues from her. The more tense she seems, the less joking she'll probably put up with." Harry felt surprised by the advice leaving his mouth. Wow, when had he become such an expert on women? He really wasn't sure.

Ron, on the other hand, seemed to believe this advice, and added, "Yeah, she seemed really…I don't know, jumpy, maybe? She isn't acting like herself."

"Well, one of her relative _did_ just kick the bucket, you know…"

Just then, Ginny returned to the compartment, her face paper-white. She sat in her seat, pulled out a book, and pretended to read, but she stared at the same page instead.

"Where's Hermione?" Ron demanded. "I have to apologize for being such a stupid git."

"Just leave her alone for a few minutes," Ginny replied shakily.

"I really want to say I'm sorry."

"Give her a couple minutes, and she'll probably come back," she answered, sounding as if she was also trying to convince herself of this.

Hermione, however, did not appear until the very end of the train ride when she came back to gather her belongings. Upon returning, she looked at Ron and smiled wanly. "I'm sorry, Ron, I've been out-of-sorts these last couple days, and I didn't mean to get so angry."

Ron, looking surprised at being the recipient of the apology, said, "It's alright; don't worry about it."

The train came to a sudden stop. At once, all the students scrambled out of their compartments and made their way off the train, toting cats, frogs, and owls. Harry and Ron grabbed their things and headed to the nearest carriage with Ginny. They turned around upon hearing a sudden, startled gasp from Hermione.

"What's up, Hermione?" Harry inquired.

Hermione was gaping at the carriages. "I can see…" she whispered to herself.

"What? What can you see? They're just carriages," blurted Ron, craning his neck, trying to get a better look.

Hermione was silent for a moment, as if she was trying to think. Then, she said, business-like, "Nothing, Ron. Go ahead, get in the carriage. We haven't got all day."

A/N: Okay... review if you're totally excited about the HP movie!!! Ready, set, go!


	8. The Unusual Sorting

_A/N: Of course I don't own these characters! What were you thinking??? Hahaha...anyway..._

_A couple quick shoutouts-sophiethedevil, Liza, PaulaS-you are awesome!!!_

_Rain12-yes, I am completely aware of what you were talking about. And yes, in normal circumstances, she would not be able to see them, since she didn't witness the death. I can't explain it to you right now, since it would ruin the story, but I promise it will make sense in the end. Thanks for pointing it out though-I appreciate it!_

_Chapter 8: The Unusual Sorting_

Hogwarts seemed to be in its usual state when all the students arrived. All the hustle and bustle surrounded the students as they took their seats at their respective House tables. While the scared-looking first years waited for their turn to wear the ragged hat, Ginny spotted something out-of-the-ordinary.

"You guys," she whispered, "who's that guy? The one kind of in the middle of the line, next to that girl with really long blond hair."

Harry craned his neck to see what Ginny was talking about. Indeed, there was a boy who looked to be about sixteen, standing among all of the eleven-year-old children. His hair was the same shade of blonde as the little girl who was standing next to him: sandy blonde, with some lighter blonde streaks, as if he had spent a lot of time in the sun. He was tall, about six foot three, and well built.

"No idea," said Harry. "Is he being sorted?"

"That's what it looks like," Hermione commented, "although I've never heard of anyone our age being sorted. I thought that was only done in first year."

Various names were called, and each frightened student walked to the stool to be placed in the appropriate house. Harry, Ron, and Ginny didn't pay much attention until, "McEwan, Bianca!" was called.

"Look! It's her!" Hermione hissed, poking Ron in the ribs.

"Ow!" Ron yelped, a bit loudly. A few people turned and stared at him.

The small girl standing to the mysterious boy strode, trembling, toward the stool. She took a seat, placing the hat on her head, which immediately disappeared as the hat fell over her eyes.

A few seconds passed…then, "GRYFFINDOR!"

All four of them applauded loudly, along with the rest of the Gryffindor table. Bianca removed the hat and took her seat, grinning widely, next to some other first years.

"Bet her brother'll be in Gryffindor, too, if he's being sorted," Ron said.

"He's next, if they're really brother and sister," Ginny said.

But "Moses, Jacob!" was called next, and the boy stayed in the line. In fact, he remained there until all the first years had been sorted. Whispering filled the Great Hall.

"-maybe he's a teacher-"

"-no way, stupid, he's too young-"

"-genius, maybe?"

"-pretty cute, isn't he?"

"hee-hee-hee-"

Dumbledore rose from his seat. A rush of silence quickly blanketed the students. He did not speak until everyone was quiet. Only then did he begin.

"Students, we have, in addition to the first years, another new student, who will be joining us this year. This is Hunter McEwan, who will begin lessons with the sixth-years. Hunter, please go to the stool and put on the Sorting Hat."

Hunter stepped forward and walked steadily to the Sorting Hat. He showed no sign of fear, except his hazel eyes flickered from student to student restlessly. He took his seat on the stool, placed the hat on his head, and closed his eyes, as if expecting an explosion.

The quiet filling he air began to buzz with soft chatter. The hat seemed to be taking its sweet time placing Hunter in the right house. Then, after what seemed to be an eternity, it shouted, "SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherin table burst out in cheers, whistles, and catcalls. Draco Malfoy looked delighted at the prospect of another partner in crime. Hunter smiled, revealing a set of perfect white teeth, and took a seat next to Pansy Parkinson, whose pug like face was stretched in a stupid-looking grin. She looked as if she would faint with delight.

"Slytherin!" groaned Ron. He looked angry and amazed at the same time. "I can't believe it!"

"Yeah, it's really weird," mused Ginny, "his sister's in Gryffindor…it's like they're two opposite sides of the spectrum."

"Day and night," added Harry.

"Well, it is strange," said Hermione. "I mean, Parvati and Padma are in different houses, too, but at least theirs aren't…" Her voice trailed off.

"Total opposites?" finished Ron. "Yeah, I wonder if the Sorting Hat's ever been wrong before?"

Harry felt his stomach jump. Now he wasn't the only one who had wondered that before.

This sort of gossipy chatter filled the Great Hall as the students and staff ate their way through roast beef, pork, turkey, mashed potatoes, and what seemed to be thousands of additional delectable dishes. After they had eaten their fill, Dumbledore rose once again from the staff table to give his annual speech. The chatter subsided gradually.

"I greet you, students of Hogwarts, with both great joy and great foreboding. Joy fills me, because it is the beginning of another year of learning new things and recalling old magic which we may have forgotten." His blue eyes twinkled.

"However, this year will bring much sadness, grief, and terror to the world. Voldemort has been active for two years now," whispers filled the hall, "and the Ministry of Magic has wasted a year denying his return. Because of their foolishness, many lives, Muggle and wizard alike, have been lost.

"My words of wisdom to you all are this: Join forces with good. Build bonds with wizards that you trust and know will fight for what is right and true. Trust your close friends. Above all, do not deny the truth. Lies only destroy the world. One example of this destruction is visible in the Ministry of Magic's action-or lack thereof. It has crumbled from within. So far, all of its damage has been self-inflicted; Voldemort has not done anything devastating yet.

"My dear students, please show more respect for this school and student body. Don't let our school fall apart because of its distrust, for I would rather see the school destroyed by an outside force after fighting a brave battle than watch this establishment die from within." With that conclusion, Dumbledore resumed his seat. Professor McGonagall stood up.

"Prefects, please lead your house first years to their common rooms."

The students stood and began to go their separate ways to get to their dormitories, each wondering, to themselves and with others, what Dumbledore's dismal speech really meant.

A/N-Now, please don't worry, Hunter and Bianca aren't Mary Sue characters-they will have a connection later on. Review, por favor!!! Only 7 days till the movie! I had to go out and get tickets today...: )


	9. Malfoy and the Policeman

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_A/N-If only I owned these characters...I'd be rich!! Filthy rich! AHAHAHA....Moving on..._

_A quick shout out to Kagome-I'm glad you're lovin' the story!_

_Don't worry...the death'll be revealed quite soon...within the next 4 or 5 chapters..._

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_Chapter 9: Malfoy and the Policeman_

The following morning, all of the students received their class schedules for the year. To Harry, Ron, and Hermione's dismay, they were still enrolled in Snape's Potions class with the Slytherins.

"Wait a second, I thought Snape said he only took the most brilliant students in his upper level classes," Ron said. "Hermione, you're brilliant, but Harry and I, on the other hand…" He raised one eyebrow.

"Well, maybe Dumbledore's pulled a few strings. You know you need Potions to become an Auror, so what does it matter?" replied Hermione, finishing off her last bit of toast.

"More like Snape's pulled a few strings," Harry commented darkly. "He'll miss torturing me too much."

"Probably," snorted Ron.

At that moment, owls flew into the Great Hall and delivered the mail to their owners.

"Oh, good, my Daily Prophet's finally here!" said Hermione joyfully. "It's more than two months late, believe it or not."

"Best tell that Rita Skeeter wench to hurry it up," quipped Ron.

"See, it's the July 1st edition…oh, I've known about this for ages…" Hermione said.

"Let me see," said Harry, taking the paper.

The headline read:

**French Minister of Magic Found Dead**

After two weeks of searching for Pierre Goulet, the French Minister of Magic, Muggle police found his body in a remote forest outside of Paris early yesterday. Upon this discovery, the proper magical authorities were contacted.

"My sympathies, and those of my department, are extended to the magical community of France and around the world. In light of this loss, I promise to join forces with the wizarding world to find the perpetrator," commented Chief Ben Hamilton, head of the Muggle investigations related to this murder case.

A Memory Charm was placed on all of the lower-ranked Muggle policemen after their testimonies and evidence were secured by the proper magical authorities, as some expressed disbelief and amazement at this strange discovery and demanded psychiatric help immediately.

"We must help our fellow wizarding friends in their time of need," said Cornelius Fudge, British Minister of Magic and close friend of Goulet. "Stay vigilant, for your own safely, and don't open the door to any strangers."

"What an idiot," commented Harry, disgusted. "'Don't open the door to any strangers'…who's supposed to feel safe after that advice from the head of the country's government?"

"Yeah," added Ron. "Hermione, how'd you know about this? Dad never even mentioned it to me."

"My uncle was a Muggle policeman-actually, the chief," she said proudly. "He led the investigation and actually was the one who knew to call the Ministry of Magic to the scene."

"But he's a Muggle!" said Ron, confused. "Enough said."

"Well, he was quite clever…never ruled out the possibility of magic in his life," began Hermione, "and, of course, his favorite niece _was_ the only witch in the family."

"How do you know he won't tell everyone in the Muggle world about us?" questioned Harry.

"Ahhhh…" Hermione sighed and looked down at her hands. "Well, that's not exactly possible anymore."

"Why? Was he one of the people who got a Memory Charm?" continued Harry.

"Ahhh…" Hermione swallowed hard. "He died the next day."

"What? What happened?" yelped Ron.

"Oh, I'll explain later, it's complicated…we've got Potions in a couple minutes, so we'd better get going, right?" She left the table quickly and headed down to the dungeon, leaving Harry and Ron in a confused silence.

"Okay, we're getting to the bottom of this by the end of today," Ron declared.

"Don't push her too much, these things take time," Harry responded, thinking of his own experiences.

The two boys pushed in their chairs and followed Hermione down to the dreary dungeon. They noticed the tables each had four chairs and sat down with Hermione and Neville.

"Snape must really love torturing me," Neville said, his voice quivering with fear, "I never thought I'd make it into his N.E.W.T. class."

"That's what we both thought," said Ron, gesturing at himself and Harry.

"Oh, you guys'll be fine," said Hermione optimistically.

"Yeah, that's because you'll end up helping us through," added Ron.

Hermione considered this. "True."

"Wow, what a surprise," a voice oozed behind the four of them. "Scarhead, Weasley, Mudblood, and the hopeless Squib in an advanced class? Who would have guessed?"

Harry didn't even have to turn around to know who it was.

"Malfoy," he started angrily, "I-"

He was interrupted by another Slytherin.

"Excuse me, but I don't happen to see any Squibs around here," cut in a male voice. "This _is_ a school of _magic_, isn't it? So you'd have to be a witch or wizard to get in. There's no way the faculty would spend their time teaching a Squib."

The four Gryffindors turned around to see Hunter McEwan standing behind them, his eyes narrowed and sending a stare at Malfoy.

"As for calling someone a Mudblood, especially such a fine lady as she, well," he chuckled sarcastically to himself, "only the lowest class of wizards would sink to _that_ level."

Malfoy gaped in shock. "McEwan-listen," he said congenially, "these-these are people you don't want to be seen with! Stick with me, and you'll go places!"

"Yeah, I'm sure I will," snorted Hunter. "I'm a big boy; I think I can pick my friends for myself. But thanks for the help; although something tells me I won't be needing it."

Malfoy's face was contorted in an expression of pure horror. Then he snarled. "Too bad, McEwan. It's your loss." He, Crabbe, and Goyle left the shocked table and sat down on the other side of the room, glaring angrily at Hunter as they left.

Angry looks weren't the only thing Hunter was receiving. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville stared at him, amazed.

"Wh-wh-what-why'd you do that?" Neville squeaked.

Hunter smiled his perfect white grin. "They were treating you guys horribly; I couldn't just stand by and watch, could I?" Not waiting for an answer, he looked around the room. "Oh, no, the only open seat is next to that blonde git and his two gorillas. Well, talk to you lot later!" He walked over to his seat by Crabbe, who immediately glared at him again.

"Wow," said Ron slowly, totally blown away. "I'm thinking the Sorting Hat made a mistake."

A/N: Okay, review please! I should have my NEW songfic posted within 4 days or so...hopefully tomorrow (as long as I'm not slackin' off). Also, I'm going to start something new, like a shorter fic, so let me know if you want something really dramatic or funny...those are my 2 main ideas as of now. Well...gotta go, so review!!!


	10. Hunter's Second Rebellion

_A/N: Hi all, just updating really quickly...Was the movie not the most AWESOME THING EVER?!?! It was so great!_

_Anyway, read on..._

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_Chapter 10: Hunter's Second Rebellion_

Just as Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Neville prepared to discuss what had just taken place, another unfriendly face appeared in the classroom. This time, it was a teacher, not a student. Snape, sure enough, was back.

"Good morning, students," he said, oily as ever. He looked around the room, surveying his class. When his eyes landed on Harry's table, he sneered, "Some of you fine, intelligent students have worked long and hard to get here…others of you have friends in high places." Snape stared at Harry as if he was a wad of gum stuck to his shoe. Harry just stared right back.

Snape turned from the table. Ron made an angry gesture at his retreating back. Luckily, Snape didn't see. He continued, "There is no doubt in my mind that some of you will fail this class; however, to fulfill your career requirements, you must do the best you can. With that," Snape swept to the front of the room and waved his wand at the blackboard, revealing complicated instructions, "you are receiving your first assignment." Turning to Hunter, he added, "McEwan, if you have any trouble, ask Malfoy for help; he knows what he's doing. But I don't expect any disasters from such a fine student as yourself."

Hunter smiled warily, glancing at Malfoy. "Yes…sir," he finished, his grin growing wider. He seemed to be enjoying a private joke with himself.

The class began working on their Dizzying Droughts, Neville begging for help every few seconds. At the end of class, Snape interrupted the chatter.

"Longbottom!" he exclaimed loudly, so the entire class could hear. "What are you doing here? This is an advanced class; the 'Beginner's Magic 101' class is just down the hall. You must have taken a wrong turn somewhere." He said this all with an evil glimmer in his eyes.

Neville shrank in fear as Snape advanced on him. Malfoy and his thugs cackled with laughter in the background.

"Excuse me, sir," an angry voice interrupted. It was Hunter again, his hazel eyes burning with fury. "Maybe if you taught the class, instead of scaring the class, he would do better," he snipped, as if speaking to a kindergartener.

Snape turned slowly and now advanced on Hunter, scowling unpleasantly at him. "You're new here, so perhaps no one has informed you yet, McEwan: Longbottom is hopeless."

"No one's hopeless," Hunter shot back.

Snape stroked his chin, as if not quite sure what to say.

"Maybe if you gave him a chance, he'd be able to learn," Hunter plowed on. He gazed coldly at Snape, as if daring him to challenge him.

The room was silent. No one dared make a sound. Neville looked as if he did not know whether to feel horrified or happy.

Snape stared at Hunter. "Since this would be considered your first offense, McEwan, I'll let this slide by. But next time I get any insubordination like this from you, you'll be serving detention. I'll fill you in on another little secret: Detention at Hogwarts is not a right, nor a privilege."

"What exactly does THAT mean, sir?" Hunter inquired with a note of sarcasm.

Snape broke the stare. "Class dismissed," he declared, not acknowledging Hunter's query. The students left the dungeon, each chattering about Hunter's actions.

Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Neville were just heading out the door when they heard a "Wait for me!" coming from the back of the classroom. They turned once again to see Hunter shoving books into his bag while walking to catch up with the group.

"Hey," Hunter said, pushing his Potions textbook into his bag and snapping it closed. "Merlin, what was his problem? Did he get up on the wrong side of the bed or something?"

"Ah, no, he's always like that," Ron said dismissively.

"Wow," Hunter said, genuinely surprised. "How have you all survived five years of listening to him?"

"I have no idea," answered Harry heavily.

"And that idiot, Malfoy, what does he think he's playing at? He's just so-oh, sorry, I'm ranting and I haven't even introduced myself. My name's Hunter McEwan. My mom transferred me to Hogwarts from Beauxbatons over the summer."

"Wow, Beauxbatons!" gasped Hermione. "So you saw the Triwizard Tournament in fourth year, right?"

Hunter's face went blank. "The what, sorry?" After a few moments, he seemed to remember. "Oh, oh yes, that. And you all are…?"

"Ron Weasley," Ron said, sticking out his hand.

"Oh, Ginny's brother, of course," Hunter replied vaguely, shaking his hand, "And you're Harry Potter," turning to face him. "I expect you get tired of everyone recognizing you at first sight."

"Yeah, it gets kinda weird, I guess," said Harry.

Hunter then turned to Neville. "Now, I know you're 'Longbottom', but what's your first name?"

"Neville," he replied, his voice sounding very grateful.

"Oh, okay, I never would have known since Snape never mentioned it. Is he always like that to you?"

"Erm…basically, yes, he is," Neville said sadly.

Hunter's face shadowed. "What's his problem?...Oh, and the lady," he said, turning to Hermione.

"I'm Hermione Granger," she said cheerfully. "Nice to meet you."

"Granger?" Hunter said thoughtfully. "That name's really familiar…hmm, well, it is a real pleasure to meet such a beautiful girl as yourself in the most horrible class I could imagine." He took the hand she had extended for him to shake and kissed it lightly. "I hope to see more of you in the future," he said softly.

Harry and Neville stared at the two of them, completely dumbstruck. This guy was hitting on Hermione Granger, resident know-it-all. What was going on?

Ron's expression was even more extreme. Although he previously was friendly to Hunter, now he looked as if he would like nothing more than to beat him to a pulp. He clenched his fists and spluttered, "Um, ah, we've got to get to Charms, and, well, see you later!" He immediately began walking in the opposite direction. Harry and Neville followed, with Hermione trailing behind, looking longingly back at Hunter, who gave a jovial wave and then set off for his next class.

A/N: Okay, PLEASE PLEASE read and review! I haven't gotten any lately for the last couple chapters, so I'm gonna wait till I get 5 (yes five) review before I post the next chapter. Yes, it's cruel, but I want FEEDBACK please! So....review away...: )


	11. Not One, But Two

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_A/N: Hi all...wow, I got this chapter typed up really quickly! It's really long, and there may be some plot holes, but I really hope not. Anyway, fasten your seatbelts and read on!_

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_Chapter 11: Not One, But Two_

Ron didn't speak to Hermione until suppertime, when Harry reminded him to ask about her uncle's death.

"No, Harry, why don't you do it…I don't really want to," he said airily as he gazed at Hunter, who was surrounded by a flock of adoring fans. Ron cracked his knuckles.

"Well, you were the one making such a big deal about it earlier," Harry pointed out. "Don't you want to know?"

"Yeah…" Ron stared harder at the Slytherin table. "What's he got that I don't?"

"Hey, at least she's not the one hitting on him," Harry said, spooning sugar onto his bowl of strawberries. "I doubt she'll go for him; she's got all that schoolwork, and the elf thing, you know…"

"Oh, yeah, spew," Ron said, disgusted. "Will she ever give that up?"

Suddenly, Hermione appeared at the table, looking flushed and pleased with herself. "Hello!" she greeted the boys cheerfully, serving herself a pork chop.

"Why are you so happy?" Ron asked curiously.

"Oh, umm…it's nothing," said Hermione, glancing quickly at the Slytherin table. "Just…something about lessons, that's all."

Harry saw that Ron noticed Hermione's quick look at the Slytherin group surrounding Hunter. Ron's face turned an angry shade of red. Just as he opened his mouth to argue, Harry jumped in. "Hermione, tell us about what happened to your uncle. The one that was in the Daily Prophet."

"Later, okay?" Hermione dismissed him, practically inhaling her bite of pork chop. "I promise. In the common room, after everyone's left. I will tell you," seeing Ron's face, "now just isn't the time. It's a bit of a secret, and I don't want to stir up any trouble."

"Okay, we believe you," said Ron. "You're not going to forget. Hey, why were you so happy when you walked in just now? You never answered my question, you know."

"Oh, that, ummm…" Hermione looked embarrassed now. "Well, I had just run into Hunter, see, and…he asked if I might like to … well, go to Hogsmeade with him sometime."

"And you told him no, right? Of course, that slimy git's not good enough for you." Ron's ears reddened in anger.

"Well, actually," Hermione fidgeted, looking quite guilty, and turned an even deeper shade of red (if that was humanly possible). "I did say I would."

"WHAT?!" yelped Ron, looking shocked and a bit hurt. He stood up so quickly that he knocked over his glass of pumpkin juice. It spilled all over Harry's unfinished strawberries. Several people turned and stared at the three of them.

"What do you mean? Are you going on a _date_ with-with him??!" Ron screamed, pointing a finger at Hunter, who was now eating a piece of apple pie.

"Yes, is that such a bad thing?" Hermione asked indignantly. "He's very nice."

"Ron, can I talk to you for a second?" Harry butted in. Not waiting for an answer, he dragged a furious Ron away from the dinner table and into the entrance hall.

"Relax, Ron, first of all, try and remember that she definitely won't like you if you're a control freak. Second, we _do_ want to know what the hell happened with her uncle so we know why she was acting so weird. So, for your sake mostly, and also mine, keep your anger to yourself at least until tomorrow, please?"

Ron took some deep breaths, trying to get control of himself, and sighed, "Okay."

"Let's go then." Harry headed back into the Great Hall.

"I'm not going to be happy about it, though!" Ron shouted, trailing behind Harry.

After dinner, Ron, Hermione, and Harry sat in the Gryffindor common room, working on all the homework that the teachers had distributed on the first day back. At first, the room was packed with chattering students, but as the hours ticked by, they migrated up to their respective dormitories in groups of three or four.

When the common room was practically empty, Hermione sighed and closed her Arithmancy book.

"Okay, but listen-you are not to tell anyone about this. Understood?"

Ron and Harry nodded simultaneously.

"Alright." Hermione took a deep breath. She seemed to be bracing herself. "I've told you about my Uncle Ben working on the French Minister's case, right?"

"Yes, but what's that got to do with-"

"Let me finish. A couple days into the search, Ben owled the Ministry with some information."

"How'd he get an owl though?" inquired Harry.

"The Ministry gave him one to use if there was a breakthrough in the search so that they could help as soon as possible. He had to be really careful that none of the other officers would see him; it was really hard. Anyway, he owled the Ministry, telling them he had a piece of important evidence, and that he would hold on to it until the proper wizards could examine it. He threw it in the trunk of his car and thought nothing more of it.

"After work, he picked up my mom; she had just had a couple tests done at the hospital and was a little woozy from the anesthesia. Dad was at work still; he was working on some brat who wouldn't open his mouth." Hermione said the last of that bit in an annoyed voice.

"My uncle was driving to our house to drop of Mom. We live sort of out in the country, and there are some really deep, dangerous ditches along the road. By the time they got to that road, it was getting dark, especially with all the trees around.

"All of a sudden, a huge dog ran into the middle of the road. My uncle swerved so he wouldn't hit it, but the car ran right into the ditch and hit a huge tree, right on the driver's side." Hermione swallowed. Her eyes were pooling with tears. Ron crossed his arms tightly around his chest; it looked as if he was restraining himself from going to embrace her.

"Then what?" croaked Harry.

"My mom was okay, though still woozy from the medicine. She looked over at Uncle Ben and saw that he was unconscious. She called an ambulance on her cell phone, and they came and took both of them to the hospital.

"Mom was all right, except for a couple bumps and bruises, but Ben…" Hermione let out half of a sob. "My dad and I walked into the hospital room just as they were telling Mom that he would be no more than a vegetable for the rest of his life

"Immediately, Mom said, 'Take him off the life support.' The nurse looked surprised. She said, 'Are you sure? This is a huge decision; think about what you should do. Have you looked at his will?'

"'This is what he would have wanted,' Mom said. She stared at that nurse for about a minute until the nurse figured out that she wasn't going to change her mind.

"'What about the rest of the family?' she asked weakly.

""I'm the only sibling left," my mom answered.

"The nurse sighed. She called the doctor in." Hermione's voice began shaking even more. "Then…then he was gone." She began to sob even harder now.

"Blimey," Ron whispered. He moved forward toward Hermione as if he was going to hug her. Hermione leaned away from him sharply.

"That's not the end of it," she gasped, trying to control herself. "A couple of days later, on July third, Mom went to the funeral home to…arrange everything. Dad couldn't go with her; one of his patients had an emergency or something. I stayed home; I was trying to separate myself from the world, basically.

"I was just settling down to read when the phone rang. I got up to answer. It was the hospital…again. I was scared, and I was right to be: They told me my mother was dead!" She sobbed uncontrollably for a couple moments, and then continued, "She passed out while she was at the funeral home. They rushed her to the hospital, but by the time she got there, she was already gone."

Ron couldn't contain himself any longer. He threw his arms around Hermione and hugged her tightly. Harry, on the other hand, was quiet. Then he said, "Your mom was completely healthy, wasn't she? She wouldn't've just dropped dead."

Hermione wiped her eyes and croaked, "That's the last-and worst-bit of it all. My dad thought she might have had an allergic reaction to the anesthesia or something, so he ordered an autopsy." She gulped breaths of air, trying to calm herself.

"Was it?" asked Harry. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like the answer.

Hermione freed herself from Ron's grip and stood up. "No, but the doctors _did _find an interesting chemical in her system: arsenic."

Ron gasped.

"But then-that means-"

"That means," Hermione said, her voice now shaking with fury, "that my mother didn't just die for no reason. This was no ordinary death; this was murder."

A/N: OMG, I'm sad now...oh well, I'll start writing the next chapter in my other story to try and make up for it...PLEASE REVIEW! I was really happy about all the reviews I got for the last chapter, and hopefully I won't threaten you guys again! : ) But anyway...overall, I loved the movie, but I was mad that they left out important things. I especially didn't like that they made Harry get his Firebolt in the end! That was the worst....anyway, review, por favor, and I'll update soon!


	12. Dates, Mates, and a Dozen Roses

_A/N-If only I owned these characters...sigh..._

_A quick note-I'm surprised how much you guys are liking Hunter!! I really thought everyone was going to hate him, but ah well...Just keep in mind that he's in Slytherin for a reason..._

_Read on!_

_Chapter 12: Dates, Mates, and a Dozen Roses_

Two weeks passed since Hermione's tale of her family members' deaths. As the days went by, she began to look less tired and seemed to return to her old self when everyone else was around. However, she still had some of those days when the world crashed around her, leaving her confused. Harry and Ron tried to make sure at least one of them, or Ginny, was around to catch her when she fell.

Finally, the first Hogsmeade visit of the year came around. Ron immediately figured that he, Harry, and Hermione would spend the day together, as they always had.

"Let me go find her and tell her that we're going to Honeydukes first, I'm dying for a Fizzing Whizbee; haven't had one in ages," he said cheerfully.

"Um, Ron, wait a second…" Harry tried. Unlike Ron, he hadn't forgotten Hunter's invitation for Hermione. He was pretty sure that although Hunter wanted to spend the day with Hermione, he wouldn't appreciate Ron and Harry tagging along, no matter how nice he was about it.

Too late. Ron blurted, "Hermione, Harry and I decided that we're gonna stop by Honeydukes first, okay?"

"Hey, leave me out of this!" Harry yelped.

Hermione looked confused. "Okay, Ron, we are sixteen, you know; we don't always have to tell each other where we're going."

"Oh, so you're okay with it," breathed Ron, relieved. "Then we can go past Scrivenshaft's and get that quill you fancied."

"What?" Hermione asked, even more perplexed. Then, "…oh, Ron, I'm not going with you and Harry. I'm…ah, going with someone else."

Ron's ears began to redden. "Who?" he demanded.

"Ummm….huntmcewn," mumbled Hermione.

Ron could still understand what she said. Thankfully, Harry thought, he didn't rage at her. On the contrary, he looked as if he might cry.

"Oh," he said, crestfallen. "Well…have a good time, then."

"Oh, I will!" Hermione breathed, not noticing Ron's expression, her own face shining with joy. "I'll see you guys at dinner!" She skipped off to join Hunter across the Great Hall, leaving Ron in a daze.

Harry stood up and walked over to Ron's static figure, hoping to do some damage control.

"I say again, what's he got that I don't?" Ron sighed heavily as they plodded toward Hogsmeade along with some other students.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, mate. This guy's practically perfect." Harry hated to admit it, but it was true.

"I was here first, though!" Ron raged. "I've known her and fancied her for five years, and then this 'I'm special 'cause I'm for Beauxbatons' bloke comes and steals her in two weeks!" A couple fourth year Ravenclaws turned and stared at Ron, clearly scandalized.

"You know what you have to do, then?" Harry said later as they examined the sugar quill display at Honeydukes.

"Yeah, beat that git into the ground," Ron growled, his ears reddening once again.

"No…" Harry answered. He didn't want to add that although Ron was taller than Hunter by a couple inches, Hunter had rather large bicep muscles and, overall, looked stronger than Ron. "You have to tell Hermione how you feel. All of it."

Harry expected Ron to say that there was a better way, that getting rid of Hunter would solve everything. But, to Harry's great surprise, he didn't. Instead, he turned slowly and looked Harry straight in the eyes.

"You're right," he said, defeated. "That's the only thing that'll solve it all. I have to tell her." He slapped his hand on the counter for emphasis.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Harry said mischievously. "Go and find that girl; there's no time to waste!"

Ron ran off like a lunatic toward The Three Broomsticks, calling Hermione's name every few seconds.

Harry chuckled to himself. _Leave it to Ron to barge in on a date like that,_ he thought.

He was just leaving Honeydukes and heading to Zonko's when he ran into a different Weasley.

"Hey, Harry, I just saw Ron sprinting down the street," said Ginny curiously. "What's he on about?"

"Oh, you know, ruining people's dates, love confessions, the usual agenda," remarked Harry mock-casually. He winked at her.

She laughed. "Well, it's about time, don't you think? I mean, he's fancied her for ages, and vice-versa."

"Really?" Harry said, surprised. "I never knew that."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Wasn't it obvious?" Then, registering Harry's confused face, she continued, "She always got so mad about him lusting after Fleur Delacour, don't you remember?"

"So? She went to the Yule Ball with Krum, so she couldn't have really cared that much, right?"

Ginny stopped dead in her tracks and looked at Harry, flabbergasted. "She went with Viktor because he asked her first. If Ron would have hurried up and done it before, they would have been a couple a _long _time ago. She couldn't just go to Viktor and be like, 'Oh, sorry, the love of my life just asked me to the ball, so I have to break our date'. That would be rude, Harry."

Harry bristled. "I know it would be rude…still, at least Ron's finally going to ask her out or something. Then they'll be together. Better late than never," he concluded, absently kicking at a pebble on the road.

"Yeah…that Hunter McEwan's some stiff competition though. Ron'd better watch himself."

"I know….how can a guy stand to be so perfect? I'd be sick of it in an instant; it's too much work on top of everything else."

Ginny looked into Harry's emerald (or, as she once put it, "green as a fresh pickled toad") eyes. "Don't worry about that; you're already perfect-or as close as a person could get."

Harry was stunned. "Ginny…d'you…d'you like me-you know, like _that_-again?"

Her cheeks pinkened slightly, and she shrugged her shoulders. "Guilty," she said with a smile.

Harry grinned broadly. "Really? Do you think we could, you know, be a couple? But if you don't want to…" he added hurriedly.

She giggled. Harry hadn't noticed how sweet her laugh was before. It was sort of hiccupy, but in a cute way, not an annoying way. "I'd be honored, Sir Potter," she replied, pretending to be dignified.

His smile widened even more. "That wasn't so hard," he declared. "Ron makes it so difficult for himself…"

"Well, that's how Ron is," Ginny replied, as she took his hand. The two of them strolled leisurely down the main street, both more content than they had been in a long time.

"There she is!" Ron growled, sneaking up to look through the window of The Three Broomsticks.

He had finally found Hermione and Hunter. Scanning the pub, he noticed Hannah Abbott and Ernie Macmillan looking quite friendly, and Padma Patil and Michael Corner were sharing a butterbeer. It seemed as if the world had decided to pair all the Hogwarts students off. _Of course, I was left out in the cold,_ he thought to himself.

_No worries, though,_ he reminded himself as cheerfully as he could. After he went in and talked to Hermione, they, too, could share butterbeers as often as they liked and be "friendly" toward one another. _Finally…_

_ All right, this is it,_ he told himself. _One, two-_

As he reached for the door handle, the door suddenly opened, smashing into his nose hard.

"Ouch!" yelled Ron, grabbing his wounded nose. He expected an apology, but it never came, for his cry of pain was never heard.

"Oh, Hunter!" squealed Hermione, gleefully laughing as he tried to tickle her. "Where do you get all these funny stories?"

"Well, just all different kinds of places, I guess," Hunter answered modestly. Ron swore under his breath, both because of the pain and his hatred for Hunter.

"Hey, look, it's Professor Snape!" yelled Hunter, pulling out his wand and pointing it at a rather large, tall pumpkin. Hermione giggled even harder.

"Sir, with all due respect, wash your hair; your stench is a distraction to the class," Hunter said with a straight face.

Hermione was practically rolling on the ground.

"Oh, while you're at it," Hunter added, still speaking to the pumpkin, "brush your teeth; I think I see a bit of Christmas turkey stuck in there."

"Idiotic show-off git," Ron muttered, watching Hermione gasp to catch her breath.

"Take a shower," finished Hunter. "Scourgify!"

Instead of cleaning the pumpkin, the wand turned into a dozen roses. Ron recognized the wand as one of Fred and George's own. Hunter handed the enormous bouquet to a now quiet Hermione.

"I've had so much fun getting to know you during the past couple weeks," Hunter said suavely. "I think that this relationship will really be good for both of us. I want you to be my girlfriend, Hermione Granger." His hazel eyes sparkled. "I won't take 'no' for an answer."

_No! Stop! Don't! _Ron screamed in his head. He told his legs to move forward, to run and break the two up, to stop what was happening so fast, but they were stuck.

Hermione's eyes lit up, and Ron knew it was all over. He didn't care to hear the rest of the lovey-dovey talk. He turned and made his way back to the castle, staring at his feet, completely defeated.

A/N: Oh...why did I have to go and write that??? AHHHH! Please don't hate me as much as I'm hating myself right now...but it makes the story work...review at your discretion...and I'll be back soon with more.... : D


	13. The Queen of Hearts

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_A/N: Oh man, you guys...TALK ABOUT YOUR GUILT TRIPS!!!_

_Please know that Ron is probably my very favorite character in the book (yeah, it was obvious, PaulaS, but it's okay!), and I wouldn't make him suffer so much unless he was going to redeem himself in a big way! Hang with me guys, even though my chapters are kinda depressing right now-I PROMISE it will be worth it!_

_Quick notes-Kagome (and whoever else is wondering): I know it was really sudden (the H/G thing), and now that I look back, it doesn't make that much sense to me either. I tried to foreshadow it in the first couple chapters, but then I got caught up in the Ron/Hunter/Hermione thing. Thanks for pointing it out though..._

_PaulaS: Like I said earlier-it WILL be fixed, and it WILL be good!!! Don't worry :D_

_Alice Dodgeson: If a guy like Hunter ever asked me out, I would probably punch him. I don't like him either! And I created him....:D_

_Anyone else I forgot: Thanks for reviewing, I always appreciate it!_

_On with the chapter!_

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_Chapter 13: The Queen of Hearts_

Once Ron returned to the castle, he went up to the dormitory and closed the door behind him, ignoring the stares of the first and second years in the common room. He heard their chattering, but he really wasn't listening. He looked at their faces, but he really didn't see them. He lay down on his four-poster bed and stared up at the ceiling.

What hit him the hardest was that look of pure joy, pure bliss, on her face when Hunter had asked her out. It was as if she only cared for him, no one else…Ron's thoughts flew out of his brain and bounced around the room.

Many a family discussion was spent on Ron's supposed crush on Hermione. His family didn't know it, but he had listened to every conversation from the landing of the staircase. One of Fred's recent comments echoed in his head: "They balance each other out, y'know? Hermione's so serious, sometimes even uptight about grades and school. Ron's…well, not, but he has that ability to make her relax and not take it so seriously. And she wises him up a bit, y'know, snaps him outta that 'idiot' mode he gets himself into sometimes."

Ron knew it was the truth. They were practically made for each other. If he, the "dumb one" could see it, then why couldn't Hermione, the "smart one" see it too? He turned over on his stomach and pounded his pillow in frustration.

A racket sounded from outside the dormitory. It sounded like students were returning from Hogsmeade. The door opened, and Ron heard Seamus, Dean, and Neville talking happily about what they had bought at Zonko's. Ron didn't bother to greet them; he preferred that they thought that he wasn't even there. They soon left for dinner, and Ron sat up, thinking that no one else was there. He was wrong.

"Ron!" He looked over to see Harry sitting on his bed, trying to hide a smile.

"Hey," said Ron weakly.

Harry got up and went to sit by Ron. A moment's silence passed, then Harry said, "…So?"

Ron didn't respond. Instead, he stared at his feet.

"Oooookay," said Harry tentatively. "I'm going down to dinner; most everyone has already. You want to come?"

Ron shook his head silently.

"All right," replied Harry, looking a mix of worried and embarrassed. "See you later." He closed the door behind him.

Ron waited a few minutes, and then decided to venture down to the common room. When he arrived, it was empty. He had a seat in the armchair closest to the fire, and then stood up immediately. He had accidentally sat on a book. He picked up the small, pink book. It looked like a girl's diary.

"Oh, boy," he murmured. He hated moments like this. He checked the common room to be sure that no one was watching, and then he cracked the diary open.

The page it fell open to revealed, not gossip about another girl's wardrobe, but a poem. Ron read:

**Falling**

_Tumbling, bumbling, stumbling down_

_Falling, sprawling on the ground_

_Elusive and intrusive things_

_Fragile as butterfly wings_

_Daisy petals one by one_

_Scattered in the summer sun_

_Does he love me, love me not_

_Is he burning, is he hot_

_Can I, am I willing, able_

_Lay my card upon the table_

_Will it be the queen of hearts_

_The place where all the hurting starts_

Scrawled at the bottom was a note:

To my one and only. Love forever, Hermione.

"Who is it?" Ron spoke to the book, but there was no answer. He searched the front of the book, but there were only other poems on the preceding pages. He checked the pages following the poem, but there was nothing.

"Wait," he said aloud. _This is the last poem written in here, which makes it the most recent…_he thought. _And her diary was out here-she must have left it, probably today, before the Hogsmeade visit…_His thoughts no longer connected. One thing was sure in his mind, though: this poem was definitely about Hunter. There was no doubt about it. Ron sank into the armchair, devastated. He hadn't cried for a long time, but the time seemed to have come again. He buried his face in his hands.

A sob sounded, not from Ron's lips, but from a remote armchair in the corner of the room. Ron stood up and walked over to the chair. He found a young girl (by the looks of her, a first year) with sandy blonde hair and familiar looking hazel eyes, curled up in the chair.

"Hey there," he said softly, crouching down to be at eye-level with the crying girl. "Are you okay?" He'd never really been good with younger kids.

The girl looked at him curiously.

"Bad day?" he said kindly. The girl nodded, looking frightened. Ron noticed a purple bruise blooming under her left eyebrow.

"Ouch, that looks like it hurts," he said, nodding at her eye. "What happened?"

The girl closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Okay, you don't want to talk about it…" Why was he even bothering to befriend this girl?

She spoke. "You're Ron Weasley."

He looked up, surprised. "Yeah…how'd you know?"

"My brother's talked about you before," she replied.

"Oh, who's your brother?" Although he could have guessed…

"Hunter. Hunter McEwan," she replied, looking scared at the sound of his name.

"Oh…well, I hate to admit it, but he's kind of the reason for my rotten day. Er-sorry." He wasn't sure if this comment would offend her.

If she was upset, she didn't show it. "Because he likes Hermione Granger, and so do you?" she asked.

Ron was too astonished to be angry. "Yeah, how'd you know?" he replied, letting his guard down.

She merely shrugged.

"Well…" Ron cast around for something to say. "Do you want to go down to dinner with me? You must be hungry."

She nodded. "Okay."

They stood to go. "My name's Bianca," she said shyly.

"Nice to meet you. I can't say I have any first year friends, so you must be special."

She grinned and then crawled through the portrait hole. Ron began to follow her, but then noticed a piece of parchment left behind on Bianca's armchair. He pocketed it, reminding himself to return it to her later, and then followed Bianca down to the Great Hall, feeling a bit better.

A/N: cowering in fear, once again Please...please...don't hurt me...Come on, who doesn't love Ron? I wouldn't put him through all this if I didn't think he could take it....What doesn't kill you will make you stronger...; ) Now, review while I go and beat myself with a shoe!


	14. Christmas Visits

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_A/N: Hi all, it's been a busy weekend...and week! (so far) This chapter's a little short (it's kind of a filler, in a way), but I hope you like it...and I CAN'T WAIT to put up the next chapter (it's already written; I have to type it out though)!_

_Quick shouts to:_

_PaulaS:Thanks for reviewing: you receive 1000 brownie points!_

_Kagome: Sadly, I didn't write that poem (I can dream, though). That was another Melody Carlson masterpiece (fabulous writer, by the way). The Voldy thing-you'll just have to wait and see!! ; )_

_Crystal: HAHAHA ain't it the truth...those stupid jocks..._

_Alice: Ron's the coolest!!! haha_

_Orli-enthusiast: Ha, I like the look of realization! And I'm SUPER GLAD the suspense is killing you! ....wait...that wasn't quite how I meant it...oh well...you know what I mean._

_WAY too much rambling on my part...on with the story!_

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_Chapter 14: Christmas Visits_

Weeks passed quickly. Snow soon covered the Hogwarts grounds in a thick, white blanket. The students would venture out, decked in thick scarves, gloves, and coats, to play and socialize in the winter wonderland.

"Hi, Ron!" Hermione greeted him at breakfast with her arm-candy in tow. "Harry, Hunter, Ginny, and I fancied a walk; want to come along?"

"Er…" Ron tried to think of an excuse. Despite Hunter and Hermione's "relationship", she still invited him to go in "the big group" to Hogsmeade. Ron had jumped at the chance at first, but soon learned that it was an unpleasant experience. Being surrounded by two couples constantly attached by the lips wasn't his idea of fun. It was very awkward, on the contrary.

"I have to work on that Transfiguration essay McGonagall assigned us," was what he finally came up with. _Lame, Weasley,_ he told himself. _She'll see through that one in a minute. _

Maybe that was what he wanted…

But she didn't.

"Okay," she answered, looking a bit disappointed. "If you need help with it, I could stay…"

"No, you promised!" said Hunter indignantly.

"Ooooookay," she sighed heavily, walking toward the door. Harry and Ginny followed, but stopped to say a few words to Ron.

"We'll be back as quick as possible," Ginny whispered.

"Yeah, that Hunter's so needy and clingy; it's annoying," Harry said darkly, throwing Hunter an openly disgusted look. The couple walked away.

Ron stared sadly at his bacon and eggs. What had happened to the Hermione he used to know? She would have nagged at him until she finally let him copy her essay.

Suddenly, Bianca appeared by his side, looking extremely worried.

Many people found it strange and humorous that a sixth year boy had befriended a first year girl (Malfoy, in particular, had shouted, "A baby! Isn't it against the law to do an eleven year old, Weasley?"), but Ron didn't care much about what people thought anymore. Now he had a taste of what Harry's life was like, and he definitely preferred his own.

After Bianca's first conversation with Ron, she broke out of her shell and talked nonstop about her friends and things she was learning, but the one subject she carefully avoided was family. Regardless, Ron had "adopted" another little sister.

"What's up, Bee?" he asked, stabbing a bite of egg with his fork.

She fidgeted and looked around the Great Hall suspiciously, saying nothing.

"Will you tell me later?" he continued. "In the common room?"

She nodded slightly.

"Okay, see you in a bit." He abandoned the eggs and headed to get his Transfiguration essay and book.

He was just settling down to begin writing when Bianca came and sat in the armchair next to him, fidgeting even more than she had been at breakfast.

"Come on, Bee, you can trust me," he coaxed gently.

She stared at her shoes. "My mom's coming here for Christmas," she blurted in one breath, as if saying the words caused her pain.

"Oh…Is that a bad thing?" Ron inquired suspiciously.

She nodded.

"Why? Do you guys fight about grades? I know my mom and I do," he replied, laughing to himself.

"Yes-I mean, no!" Bianca stuttered. "Well," she began slowly, trying painfully to explain herself, "we fight, but not about school…"

He looked up sharply. "What do you fight about, then?"

Silence.

"Bianca? What do you fight about?"

He noticed a red scratch across her left cheek.

She took a deep breath, then started, "We-"

She was cut off by a noisy group of third year boys entering Gryffindor Tower from a snowball fight. Amidst all the commotion, Bianca figured she could run for it. She stood and scampered up to her dormitory, knocking Ron's Transfiguration book off the table it was resting on.

"OY!" he bellowed in frustration. "Shut it, you idiots!" he yelled at the boys. He picked up his book and noticed a piece of parchment that had fallen out. It was the parchment Bianca had left on her armchair when they first met. He read:

_Bianca-I'm coming for Christmas. I would like to speak with you and your brother about something very important. It pertains to his first mission. Meet me in dungeon 35 on December twenty-sixth at __8:00 P.M.__ Don't be late-that's an order._

_ Much love-XOXOXO,_

_ Mom_

"Ugh," groaned Ron, crumpling the letter and throwing it into the fire. No wonder Bianca didn't discuss her family-her mom was a control freak, and by the looks of it, just like her son.

One thing was sure-he had to witness that meeting.

A/N: Okay PLEASE PLEASE review so I feel motivated to post the next chapter (which happens to be one of my favorite one's I've written so far)! Thanks in advance-Pepstepper


	15. Confessions and Emotions

_A/N: Yes, this chapter's short, but it is really one of my favorites! I'm expecting people to either love it or hate it (not quite sure what the majority will be, though)._

_Quick shout-outs to: EVERYONE: I LOVE YOU!!! (Sorry, I typed a bunch of notes to people, but then my computer deleted them-WTF?!?!? Oh well, stupid technology...) PLEASE KEEP REVIEWING!_

_Chapter 15: Confessions and Emotions_

The day passed quickly, and before you could say, "Expelliarmus", night fell. Ron sat, once again, in the common room, finishing that Transfiguration essay, though not very well (he was too worried about Bianca). A jolt of surprise woke him up when Hermione came and sat next to him.

"Hey," she said sweetly. "Need any help?"

"N-no," he stammered, examining a diagram of a chinchilla turning into a camera.

_Oh, I have nothing to lose…_"Yes," he corrected himself firmly.

"Okay, let me see," Hermione replied briskly, taking the roll of parchment and skimming through it. "Well, it looks like you're off to a good start, but-"

"No, that's not it," he said quietly, staring at his shoes.

She stopped short. "What is it?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.

He swallowed hard. "Why'd you do it?"

She looked confused. "Do what?"

"Say yes to him. You told him you'd be his girlfriend."

Now she looked slightly guilty. "Because he's nice and I enjoy spending time with him. Is there anything wrong with that?"

He stood up and walked slowly to the window, gazing out at the stars. "But Hermione, what if there was someone else out there…someone who really, truly loved you? Would you just waste your time with a guy you could just be friends with?"

Hermione stared at Ron, dumbfounded. She rose from her seat and followed him to the window. "Ron…do you mean…" _He couldn't possibly…_ She looked into his baby-blue eyes and knew at once exactly what he meant.

"You…you…" She couldn't absorb the meaning.

"Yes," he said firmly. "I have for who-knows how long, maybe ever since we met. And, Hermione, everyone knows it!" he added, even more sure of himself. "Everyone knows we're meant for each other: my whole family, Harry…everyone that matters. I've waited so long and I," he rubbed his eyes vigorously with the sleeve of his robes, "I just can't take it anymore! Merlin, every time I see you with-with Hunter (he spat the name as if it was a swearword), I get all mixed up-angry and sad and…" He trailed off, not knowing or caring if he even made sense anymore. He glanced at her and saw the tears beginning to fall, but he wasn't done yet.

"Did you know…about me?" he asked tentatively, not sure if he wanted to hear the answer.

She shook her head. "I was never sure enough to say anything…but I did…I did like you for a very long time…and I still do, I think…I'm so confused!" Ron opened his mouth, but she continued, a bit more sure of herself, "I have always cared so deeply for you, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I fancied you for the longest time, but we were always fighting, so I didn't think you liked me back, and then I met Hunter and…well, I'm ashamed to say it, but I…I just gave up on us every being together like that. It just seemed…hopeless, like you would never notice me."

"No one's hopeless," Ron said thickly, sounding very much like someone he hated. This time, though, the words were spoken from his heart, where he knew they were true, and not to spite someone else.

Exhausted from all the emotional wear of the past weeks, Ron sank to his knees. It was over.

He sensed another body sitting on the floor next to him. He looked up to see Hermione next to him, the tears now flowing freely.

"I'm sorry," she choked. "I'm so, so sorry."

She tentatively put her arms around him. He wrapped his own arms around her tightly and instantly felt at home.

"I love you," he whispered, and two tons lifted off his shoulders.

"I know," she whispered back, sending chills up his spine.

"I would die for you."

A pause, and then: "Hunter would never do that. Why have I wasted my time? It's not going to happen again."

_Best words I've heard in my life,_ Ron thought as he laid his lips on top of Hermione's now sleek hair. They sat on the floor beneath the window like that for hours, not wanting to leave the moment behind.

A/N: Okay, love or loathe it? Please be truthful, although if you hated it, be nice, since I love this chapter soooo much!

For those of you who regularly read this story (and others that don't too, I guess), I'm going to try and finish by the end of next week before I go to camp (just 4 days, don't worry, kids), but if I don't, I'll finish soon after that. Also, I've got a couple of ideas bouncing around in my head for a new (chaptered) story, but I'd like to have some of your input. So, if there's anything you'd like to read or if you have any creative ideas, let me know and I'll consider them! Thanks guys! Love all of you reviewers! Pepstepper

Oh sorry, not done yet-haha it's shameless plug time! If you're bored, check out my one chapter fiction "From Summer to Spring". I'd like some more feedback on it, and I hope you all enjoy reading it! Ok, now I'm really done!


	16. Jasmine McEwan

_Chapter 16: Jasmine McEwan_

The days rolled by, and soon enough, it was Christmas Day. Harry and Ron began the day by ripping through enormous piles of presents left at the feet of their beds.

"Whoa, Harry, thanks!" yelled Ron in ecstasy, pulling an orange Chudley Cannons T-shirt out of a box.

"No problem," Harry replied with a grin, unwrapping a huge assortment of Every Flavor Beans from Ron. "What'd Hermione get you?" he asked randomly, wondering to himself what it could possibly be.

"I dunno…I don't see anything wrapped here…" Ron responded, digging through the mountain of wrapping paper and opened gifts. "Maybe she's going to give it to me later…" he said doubtfully.

"Or maybe," Harry said slyly with a wink, "it's something that can't be put in a box."

Ron blushed crimson at this remark.

"Oh, come on…" he stammered, "you don't think…she wouldn't…would she?" He met Harry's eyes and went an even deeper red.

Harry knew that Hermione and Ron had been meeting secretly in the common room when no one else was around (thanks to the Invisibility Cloak-yeah, spying was juvenile, but hey, it was fun, too). However, whenever they were in the Great Hall, class, or even on break, they barely said a word to each other, and Hermione spoke to Hunter, though on a rarer basis than usual. This completely mystified Harry, but Ron seemed to be slightly more in the know.

Hermione walked in just then, juggling Crookshanks, a parcel wrapped in Father Christmas paper, and a green envelope.

"This is yours, Harry; sorry it's late," she said, tossing the package to him. "And for you," she added softly, turning to Ron and handing him the green envelope. "You may want to wait to open it, though," she finished, sitting down on Ron's bed next to him.

"Okay," he replied, tucking the envelope carefully under his pillow. "What've you got, Harry?"

Harry, after examining the new copy of _1,001 Important Seeker Techniques_ he had just unwrapped, handed it over to Ron. "Let's go do something; I'm not going to waste the whole day just sitting here!"

Actually, the rest of the day was spent by Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron just sitting around, lounging, enjoying their Christmas gifts and candy, and playing a few games of Exploding Snap. Before they knew it, it was time for the Christmas feast.

"Break it up, you guys, break it up!" Ginny scolded Ron and Hermione, though with a smile on her face. "I'm hungry, and everyone else's gone down to eat; no more of this tickling business."

They laughed as the two couples walked down the corridors to the Great Hall, each boy holding the girl's hand tightly in his own.

"Wait, wait, there's a Slytherin!" Hermione gasped. Ron immediately released her hand from his grasp. The two Slytherin girls sneered at the group and strode on.

"What was _that_ all about?" Harry asked, completely confused.

"Well, you see, it's complicated…"began Hermione thoughtfully. " Technically, I haven't 'broken up' with Hunter just yet. And, quite frankly, I'm pretty scared to end it so abruptly."

"What-"

"Hunter's not the nice guy that everyone always sees…he's really clingy, and he's said some really scary things in the past… "I'd kill myself if I couldn't be with you" and "If I see any guy touch you, I'll rip him to shreds". So what I've been trying to do is slowly back away from the whole relationship, rather than go, "Oh, it's not working out, I've got someone new, see ya!" Plus, if he ever knew Ron was a factor in this, he'd go mental."

"Oh…" Harry was still confused.

"What it comes down to is, I'm scared to drop him, for my safety and Ron's," she finished bitterly. "Hopefully, he'll just get sick of me and break it off himself."

By now, they had made it into the Great Hall, where the Christmas decorations, as usual, shone spectacularly.

"Who's that?" whispered Ginny to Ron, nodding toward the Slytherin table.

"Dunno…" He glanced in the direction she had nodded. He did a double take. Seated next to Hunter was a beautiful young woman who couldn't have been a day older than thirty. Her blonde hair fell to the middle of her back. Her eyes were the exact shape of Hunter's, but their color was a piercing ocean blue. In fact, if she had the hazel eyes, she could have passed as Bianca's older sister.

"Maybe Hunter has another sister?" Harry guessed.

They abandoned the discussion while they consumed a huge assortment of different foods. Just as they were getting up to leave, two figures strode over to them.

"Hey, everyone!" Hunter greeted them brightly. "Hermione," he added with a polite nod. "I wanted to introduce you all to my mother, Jasmine McEwan. Mom, these are some friends of mine: Harry Potter, Ron and Ginny Weasley, and Hermione Granger." He emphasized Hermione's name.

"Pleasure," Jasmine replied coolly. Her eyes flickered over Ron and Ginny. "I know your parents quite well," she said to them. Her gaze then fell on Hermione. "I've heard…so much about you. My son is quite taken with you." Hermione nodded slightly, a pink tinge appearing in her cheeks.

"Well, we'd better get going," Hunter butted in.

"Nice meeting you all," Jasmine said, though she didn't look as if she meant one word of it. The two strode off toward Bianca, who jumped and looked startled.

"That was weird," Harry commented as he and Ron climbed the stairs to their dormitory that night.

"Yeah…" Ron breathed, lost deep in thought. Then he remembered the letter. "Harry! She-Jasmine, Hunter's mum- is having some crazy meeting with Hunter and Bianca. I want to hear what they talk about."

Harry stopped before turning the doorknob to the bedroom. "Are you mad? You can't just barge in like that! Besides, how d'you know about this meeting?"

"I-er, found one of Bianca's letters from her mum," Ron replied guiltily. Harry opened his mouth, but Ron added quickly, "I'm worried about Bianca; she's always got these weird bruises and cuts, and maybe Hunter's got something to do with it, I dunno…" He trailed off, thinking again. "And I want to know how Hermione factors into this, 'cause I know she does somehow…"

Harry sighed. Clearly Ron was not going to be swayed. "All right. We'll take the Invisibility Cloak and eavesdrop on this little conversation."

A/N: Okay, please review! I always appreciate it! Coming soon…._Chapter 17: Behind the Dungeon's Door_….muhahaha!! Bye for now!


	17. Behind the Dungeon's Door

_A/N: WHOA! Two chapters in one day! I've been hard at work! Really, I didn't want to post the previous chapter without this one shortly after it; they really should be one long chapter, but oh well. Thanks for reviewing so soon Kagome! You're cool! And thanks to everyone else who has reviewed the last couple chapters-you guys rock! Anyway, here comes the next chapter....aaaargh....I utterly loathe it...read on!_

_Chapter 17: Behind the Dungeon's Door_

The next evening, Harry and Ron left Gryffindor Tower, the Invisibility Cloak in tow, headed down for the dungeons.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Harry inquired uncertainly.

"Of course it is!" Ron replied fiercely. "Since when did you become so concerned about whether things are smart or not?"

"Okay, okay, relax." Harry rolled his eyes. Ron was right in saying that. "Where's Hermione, anyway?"

"In the library, studying as usual," Ron whispered. "Shh…here we are, Dungeon 35." They threw the Invisibility Cloak over themselves.

"Aloho-" Ron began, but Harry seized his arm before he had finished the spell.

"We can't go in there! It'll be too obvious of the door opens and closes for no reason!"

"So? It won't matter, no one's in there-"

"Yeah, can't you hear them talking? Shut up!"

The two fell silent. Sure enough, there were voices behind the door. Ron checked his watch. 8:03. He strained to understand the conversation.

"-look at this filth! Don't they ever clean this place?" a cool female voice complained. Jasmine.

"I know, Mom, Beauxbatons was so much better than this trash heap," Hunter's voice rumbled.

"It doesn't matter. Once we are finished here, we'll move on. Maybe Durmstrang…what do you think, Hunter?"

"Fabulous." He snickered. Suddenly business-like, he added, "What's next?"

"Well, use your brain! What's the only thing left to do?"

In a low voice, he answered, "Kill her."

"Yes, my son, yes! You're getting it now!" She cackled.

"No! You can't!" Ron gasped. He recognized Bianca's small, yet strong-willed voice.

"Shut up, idiot girl!" Jasmine screamed. SMACK! Bianca squealed, obviously wounded. "Keep quiet!"

"Now," she continued, "it needs to be done as soon as possible, preferably tonight."

"Tonight? But, Mom, we're still "dating", and I haven't gotten any yet!"

Jasmine screamed in exasperation. "Hunter, must you always think with the head below your waist? This is your job! Rape her before you kill her if you must, but by midnight, she'd better be dead!"

"Okay, whatever, Mom…" He sounded bored.

There was another SMACK! And this time, Hunter roared in pain. "None of this, "Whatever, Mom," crap! By the time I was thirteen, I had already killed. At fourteen, you were born, and I still kept up my work for the Dark Lord! It's all about loyalty and where your priorities lie…"

Bianca dared to speak again. "Why? Why are you going to try to kill her?"

Another SMACK! "We ARE going to kill her!" she raged. "This has gone on far too long! I would have figured that we'd have been done with this in the summer…After I killed that idiot Goulet, the French Minister, I thought my work was done. But no, that slimy Muggle policeman figured out who I was. He knew I was a witch. To keep my cover, I killed him too. I conjured a dog to run in front of his car. He crashed, and later died, as I found out. Then, finally, I thought I was finished. But nooooo…

"There was another person in the car. A woman-his sister. Thinking she may have figured out what really happened, I snuck into the funeral home she visited in preparation for her brother's funeral, using my Invisibility Cloak. A teaspoon of arsenic later, she was vomiting all over the floor. Ten minutes later, she was dead." Ron's stomach convulsed grotesquely, and he desperately fought the nausea.

"This is it though- the missing link that has the potential to put me in Azkaban. Hermione Granger- the _clever_ Mudblood daughter of that woman- stands between me and adulation from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's servants! There is no other way; she must die." Jasmine cackled once again. Ron tried to envision the scene: her blonde hair glowing in the eerie light, head thrown back in evil bliss, her ocean-blue eyes blazing.

"Yes, Mom, yes! Whatever it takes, I'll do it." Hunter spoke victoriously. "I'll go now. Where is she?"

A pause, and then, "Walking in a corridor from the library. Hurry! Do it when no one can see."

Hunter replied hesitantly, "But there is something else…another person. Ron Weasley. He loves this Mudblood, and he'll get in the way of things."

She laughed yet again, though very casually this time. "Don't let him stand in your way; kill him too if you need to! Merlin, I thought you were smart!"

At this, Bianca began screaming bloody murder. "NO! NO, MOM, NO, HUNTER, DON'T DO IT, NO!"

"SHUT-UP!!" Jasmine roared. "Learn to respect your superiors, or you'll never be great! _Crucio!_"

Harry gasped. Bianca's shrieks of pain filled the corridor. _Someone must hear…someone must be coming…_he thought. But no one came.

"I'll kill them! I swear to God I will-" Ron fumed.

"Shh! Quiet!" Harry didn't want to think about what would happen if they were caught eavesdropping.

Finally, the shrieks subsided, but Jasmine wasn't done with Bianca yet. "_Wingardium Leviosa!_" A crash sounded, then a scream of pain, then a hollow _thwonk_ of a head hitting a stone floor. Then, silence.

"Go! Take the Cloak!"

A few seconds later, the dungeon door opened. Jasmine McEwan left it by herself, but the sound of two people's footsteps followed her away from Ron and Harry.

They looked at each other.

"Hermione!" Ron whispered, panicked.

"Let's go," they said together.

A/N: That was sooooo painful to write….oh man, I think I am scarred for life!! I feel extremely bad now…please read and review-the sooner you do, the sooner the next chapter'll be up! At this rate, I feel fairly confident that I'll finish this fanfic before Saturday, but who knows, that may change…anyway, I'll post more later!


	18. Hunting the Hunter

_A/N: I only own the plot._

_To all my reviewers: I love you guys!! You make me sooooo happy! I wish I could send all you guys birthday presents…haha…well, I'll quit jabbering on and let you find out what happens! This is one of the longest chapters so far, so buckle up... :D_

_Chapter 18: Hunting the Hunter_

Ron and Harry raced down the corridor, their hearts beating in fear.

"Where'd they go?" Ron exclaimed.

"Ummm…this way!"

They turned the corner and ran down another deserted hallway. They kept this up for ten minutes, until they heard a scream from a nearby classroom.

"Hermione!" they yelped together. They sprinted toward the sound.

Ron wasn't sure which emotion dominated: fear for his life, pure hatred toward Hunter, or extreme worry for Hermione. _If she dies, it's my fault…_he told himself. _I didn't warn her soon enough, it's my fault…_The mantra played repeatedly in his head.

Harry and Ron ran in the classroom. Sure enough, Hunter and Hermione were there. Hermione was frozen in fear, and her blue button-up shirt was half-unbuttoned, exposing her bra. Hunter, however, looked relaxed and as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"Well, just as I expected, the two little boys playing the hero," he sneered. "Come on in and join the fun, and don't worry! You won't get in trouble…you'll already be dead!"

"Get your hands off her!" Ron bellowed. "You-I can't believe-how dare-"

"Relax, Weasley, your blood pressure's going to get the best of you someday," Hunter replied. "Of course, redheads do always seem to have tempers…that's why I could never stand to date one…but anyway, I knew you would be here eventually." He paused, turned to Harry, and added, "Potter, on the other hand…I didn't expect you. You're always snogging that other redhead Weasley, so I figured you'd be with her now under the mistletoe. It just goes to show you that sometimes assumptions can be wrong…" He chuckled to himself.

"That's the lesson you three need to learn, especially you, Mudblood," he sneered at Hermione. "Someone may seem nice at first, even perfect, but once you see under their skin, you know they're just like everyone else-a streak of evil lies underneath!"

"You're wrong! People may be angry, but that doesn't make them evil!" Harry replied angrily.

"Well, maybe you're the one that's wrong! Anger, raging inside a person for years, causes them to become evil! The Dark Lord knows this well! That's why he's set his sights on you, Potter!"

Hunter swept back his blonde hair and smiled suavely. "Now, if you'll excuse me, boys, I have some unfinished business I have to attend to." He covered Hermione's mouth with his. She let out half a squeal and struggled to get free from his grasp.

"GET OFF HER!" Ron screamed. He whipped out his wand and yelled, "_Impedimenta!_"

Hunter was knocked off his feet and hit the floor. Hermione raced over to Ron and Harry, also pulling out her wand.

Hunter stood up, a bit shaken, but he still retained the charming smile on his face.

"Think you can beat me, do you?" he taunted.

"Yeah, look at this!" Harry yelled back. "Three against one! What do you think of that?"

"I think," a female voice spoke, "that you three better watch your step; you don't want to get hurt, now, do you?"

Harry, Hermione, and Ron looked wildly around for Jasmine, but she was nowhere to be seen. "_Impedimenta!_" Hermione shrieked and fell to the floor.

"The Invisibility Cloak!" Harry yelled. "I'll find her; you watch Hunter for me." He began blundering around the room, searching for Jasmine.

"_Petrificus Totalus_!" Hunter screamed, aiming for Ron. But Ron was ready. "_Protego_!" The spell bounced off away from Ron and hit a desk, blowing it to pieces.

"Ah, I see you are learning a lot from your dear friends, Weasley," Jasmine cooed mockingly. "But has Potter taught you how to deflect the Killing Curse? It's impossible!"

She gasped in surprise as Harry caught the edge of her cloak and pulled it off, revealing her wild hair and power-hungry eyes. She was no longer the beautiful young woman they had met in the Great Hall. She wanted death.

"Think of how the Dark Lord will reward me when he discovers that I have killed not only the missing link, but also a blood traitor's son and The Boy Who Lived! I shall be great, among his most lauded servants! Say goodbye to your lover, Weasley, but don't worry, I expect you'll see her in hell in a few minutes…" She cackled.

Ron was frozen to the spot. He couldn't see anyway out of this situation. He could run for the window, but Hunter was there…plus, Jasmine was also standing in front of him with her back to the doorway. There was nowhere to run. He swallowed hard, but he knew what must come. He only hoped that with his death, his friends could find some way…any way, to save themselves and escape unscathed.

"Any last words?" taunted Hunter.

Ron turned to Hermione. "Get out of here as soon as you can. Don't worry about me; as long as you're safe, it doesn't matter what happens." He squeezed her hand. "Harry, take care of her." Harry nodded, though he was fighting the impulse to run out and punch Jasmine.

Ron finally turned to Jasmine. "Let's go."

She raised her wand and began, "_Avada Keda-"_

_ "Expelliarmus!"_

Jasmine's wand flew out of her hand and landed safely in the hand of a small, blonde figure in the doorway. Before Jasmine could react, Bianca shot another spell at her mother. "_Stupefy!"_ Jasmine crumpled to the floor in a heap. Hunter screamed in rage.

"Stupid idiot girl! You have betrayed our family's honor, our code. I'm ashamed to have you as my sister! Look what you did to our mother!"

"She's wrong, Hunter! You're wrong too!" Bianca gasped desperately. "Please, just stop now, you don't want to end up like Mom!"

"Don't tell me what I want, Bianca," Hunter spat. "I think I can figure that out for myself." He lunged at her, completely forgetting about magic. Once again, Bianca's spellwork got the best of him. _"Stupefy!"_ He, too, crumpled and lay next to his mother.

A silence permeated the air for a few seconds. The four of them stood, looking stunned at what had just happened.

"We need to get Dumbledore, or McGonagall, or someone," Harry said shakily.

"No need, Potter, we're here already." Professor McGonagall raced into the classroom, accompanied by Dumbledore and Professor Snape.

"How-how'd you know we were in here?" Hermione whimpered.

"We found Miss McEwan's letter in the Gryffindor common room, with a few concerned first years," Professor McGonagall answered.

"The minute I saw Jasmine McEwan in this school, I feared for your life," Dumbledore said to Hermione, who looked shocked to learn this. "This woman,"-he gestured at Jasmine's limp body-"has already killed your uncle and your mother. Thinking you had already figured this out, she planned to kill you, too. The Order has been tracking her whereabouts closely, but somehow she had always slipped from our grasp…until now." Hermione gasped.

"What about…him?" Her shaking finger pointed at Hunter.

"He has never cared for you. That was a façade. He tried to get vital information from you, to see how much you really knew. In short, he was following in the footsteps of his mother," Dumbledore answered bitterly.

"I think that is enough explaining for tonight," McGonagall finished. "To the hospital wing?"

"Yes, Minerva, I think so," Dumbledore agreed thoughtfully. "Severus, you know what to do with the two older ones."

Snape nodded and conjured stretchers for Hunter and Jasmine. He also formed silver handcuffs for their wrists.

Dumbledore, McGonagall, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Bianca all made their way up to the hospital wing. The hallways were deserted, except for Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson, who walked by (Malfoy's pants were unzipped and Pansy's lipstick was smeared). Once Madam Pomfrey had settled them into their beds, she left for her office, where she quickly fell asleep. Harry and Bianca were also asleep almost instantly. Ron rolled over on his side, facing away from Hermione, and began drifting off.

Without warning, his comforter began lifting up on one side. Then, a warm leg slid in next to him, then another. He turned over and was face to face with Hermione's brown eyes.

"'Mione, what are you doing? Madam Pomfrey'll have a stroke if she sees us!" he whispered, completely taken aback.

She chose to ignore the question. "You didn't lie," she said vaguely.

"What are you talking about?"

"You said you'd die for me, and you almost did."

They laid there for almost a minute, listening to Bianca's slow breathing.

"I want to be with you," she whispered. "You make me feel safe, like no one else can touch me. I love you so much."

He stroked her delicate cheek with one large finger. "We'll be together forever, right?"

"Yeah…" she breathed, and relaxed in his arms.

Within minutes, the two of them were asleep, lost in their dreams of each other.

A/N: Okay, read and review, puh-leeeeeeeeease! You will make me a very happy kid…

I think I'll add one or two (most likely one) more chapters to this story, just to wrap up all the loose ends I may have forgotten (such as that green envelope…hmmmm…what do you guys think is in there? Let me know what you think!). But I should be ready to start my new fic after I get back from dance camp. Any ideas? Please let me know, otherwise I'm gonna go ahead with my original idea! Catch you later kids! Much love, **Pepstepper**


	19. The New Weasley

_A/N: Okay, I know the Hermione thing at the end of the last chapter was a bit OOC..but come on, it was cute._

_ )_

_Thanks to ALL of my reviewers throughout the entire story, especially those who reviewed multiple times (you know who you are)._

_Here we go… the last chapter!!!_

_Chapter 19: The New Weasley_

Three weeks passed since the encounter with the McEwans, and Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Bianca had left the hospital wing after a week of boredom. Of course, Madam Pomfrey did have a fit after discovering Ron and Hermione in the same bed (_"WHAT IN THE WORLD WERE YOU TWO DOING?!?!")_, but after a while, it just didn't matter to them anymore what anyone thought.

One morning, Hermione appeared in the boys' dormitory, poking Ron in the shoulder to wake him up.

"Ermmmmm…go away Mummy, I don't want to clean out the broom shed today," Ron mumbled.

"Ron? It's Hermione, not your mom," Hermione said, a bit confused.

"What? I'm not a mime! Stop poking me…hey, Hermione! What're you doing here?" Ron finally opened his eyes and jumped up, startled, but soon grinned sheepishly.

"Good morning to you too," she replied, smiling brightly. "Why are you sleeping so late? Everyone except Harry's already left for breakfast."

"Yeah, get up, lazy," chided Harry. "You heard her."

Ron sat up and tried to smooth his ruffled hair. "I never did understand why you could be in a boys' dormitory and we couldn't be in a girls'…"

"It doesn't matter," Hermione replied briskly. She opened the curtains to let the sun's light shine in.

There was a moment of silence between the three of them. Finally Ron spoke.

"It's still hard to believe what the Ministry did to Jasmine," he said quietly.

"No kidding," Harry added. "Thrown to the centaurs…no wonder they hate humans, they're always stuck with the horrible ones."

"She deserved it," Hermione said resolutely. "She absolutely deserved it."

Both boys expected to see tears in her eyes, but instead they found a strong resolve.

"Ripped to pieces…" she mused. " At least she won't make any other person's life hell."

Another silence, and then Ron ventured, "Where was it that they sent Hunter again? St.-er-what's it?"

"St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys," Harry recited with a grin on his face. "And his wand's snapped, too…no more magic for him!"

"Like she said," Ron mused, "he deserves it."

They got up to go to breakfast. Ron and Harry left the room quickly, but Hermione noticed a green envelope lying under Ron's pillow. She snatched it and stowed it in her pocket.

When they arrived at the Great Hall, Bianca came flying toward Ron and threw her arms around him.

"Oh, Ron, oh, Ron, I'm so excited, your mum's so nice, I can't wait to meet the rest of your family, it's gonna be so fun-"

"_What_ are you talking about, Bee?" Ron gasped, trying to untangle himself from her death grip.

"I'm going to live with you at your house! Your mum and dad are adopting me! Oh, it's gonna be so fun, I'll have a big sister, and a bunch of big brothers that won't hurt me-"

"Professor McGonagall, is this true?" he inquired, for the professor had followed Bianca over to the Gryffindor table.

"It is," she replied with a smile. "Miss McEwan has no-ahem-s_uitable_ relatives that can or will take her in. We discussed what would be best, and your mother has agreed most happily to take Miss McEwan in as another daughter until she is of age."

"Wow!"

"Oh, I have to go tell Susie and Jeannie! They'll be so excited!" Bianca sped off in search of her fellow first year friends. It amazed Ron to see how much of her personality had changed. He could see how bubbly and fun this once-reclusive eleven year old really was.

McGonagall leaned in close to Ron. "I must admit," she whispered, "you have made a very positive impression on Miss McEwan. She's quite taken with you and looks up to you."

"Err…thanks…" Ron responded, not quite sure what to say. McGonagall strode off, leaving three very surprised people behind.

After breakfast finished, Ron and Hermione left Harry with Ginny and decided to take a walk around the grounds. Their footsteps crunched in the pristine white snow. Unfortunately, they met Malfoy on their way.

"Well, if it isn't Weasley and Miss Mudblood. I'm surprised at you, Weasley, you've left your first year girlfriend already? Oh, that's right, she hasn't even hit puberty yet…"

Ron opened his mouth furiously, but Hermione butted in calmly. "Draco," she began sweetly, "I just say Pansy in the loo, crying over some little plastic stick-thing, before breakfast. She was with a couple of her friends…they were talking about a "positive" test result? I was confused…I thought she'd be happy about passing some sort of test…"

Malfoy looked horrified. He sped off toward the castle doors. Ron and Hermione laughed together.

"That," Ron stated, "was brilliant."

Hermione shrugged modestly. "Hey," she said, changing the subject, "I found this under your pillow. Did you forget…?" Her eyes shone as she pulled out the envelope.

"Oh, no, I'm sorry, 'Mione…I just-er-forgot in the midst of everything else that happened…" Ron looked extremely guilty.

"Well, go ahead and open it now!" She handed the envelope to him. He opened it and pulled out a paper that looked like it had been ripped from a notebook. He read some very familiar words:

**Falling**

_Tumbling, bumbling, stumbling down_

_Falling, sprawling on the ground_

_Elusive and intrusive things_

_Fragile as butterfly wings_

_Daisy petals one by one_

_Scattered in the summer sun_

_Does he love me, love me not_

_Is he burning, is he hot_

_Can I, am I willing, able_

_Lay my card upon the table_

_Will it be the queen of hearts_

_The place where all the hurting starts_

The bottom of the poem was signed: To my one and only. Love forever, Hermione.

"Wait a second," Ron said. He was so confused! "Why'd you give this to me if you wrote it for Hunter?"

"What?" She looked astounded. "I never-why do you think-how'd you know I ever wrote this?"

"Oops…I read your diary-but not on purpose! I found it in the common room, and…" He looked down at his shoes. There was no talking his way out of this one.

"I didn't write it for Hunter. I wrote this during the summer holidays, right after my mum died. I wrote it for you. I missed you so much, and the poem's just about…taking a chance, I guess."

"For me?" He looked up into her eyes, which were shining happily.

"Yeah, for you."

All of a sudden, Ron wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her: a soft, sweet kiss. _Wow, I have waited waaaaaay too long to do this,_ he said to himself. She kissed him back. Her soft lips tasted like sweet strawberries, ripe at the harvest. Despite the cold temperature, they found warmth in each other. They stood there for a few sweet moments, losing themselves in each other, and then began walking slowly again. Sure, they didn't know what was ahead, but they knew they'd be standing side-by-side, ready to face it together, with their friends by their side and their relatives, both alive and dead, helping them to carry on wherever the road might take them.

A/N: And all together now….AWWWW!!! Just kidding…it's actually kind of a fluffy ending, but hey, I'm a sucker for fluffy endings! So…overall…did you like it? Hate it? Love it? Let me know…

I was thinking about doing another chapter just to make it an even twenty, but I think this ending is good.

I would just like to say THANK YOU to everyone that reviewed!! I never dreamed that I'd get so much feedback…and so much of it was so positive! Really, whenever I didn't really feel like writing, I would get a review that made my day. It really meant a lot to me. So…THANKS!!! Especially to those of you who reviewed multiple times…you all will be receiving Christmas presents…hehehe

Stick around…I'll began writing my next fic shortly…; ) I'm thinking about a dance theme...

Much love, **Pepstepper**


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